Seducing Mr Pleasant
by TheDeliquent9
Summary: Valkyrie is having trouble with getting everyone's favourite Skeleton into bed but has the added trouble of meeting a flame from his past. How will she deal with it? Rated T for a very, very good reason no one 13 and younger please. slightly limey
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:  
>READ THIS!<br>This is rated T for a reason. I recommend 14 and under not to read for your own good. This contains swearing, insinuations and let's not forget the sexual innuendos. You know who you are and you are at your own risk.**

**And if you read anyway well you better review to make up for it :P**

**This story is not linked to any of my other stories in anyway and it's what I'd think Skulduggery Pleasant would be like if it was aimed at young adults so don't tell me they're OOC.**

Chapter 1

This was just how she liked to spend her nights. Clad in tight black leather. Adrenaline running through her veins. Chilled from the Dublin night mist.

In other words, she was hot, badass and she damn well knew it.

But the girl they were chasing after was fast. Lightning Dismal, Skulduggery had called her but for once out of the ridiculous bad guys with ridiculous names, hers seemed appropriate.

She was faster than Valkyrie and speeded round corners so quickly that all Valkyrie managed to see was the whip of her blond hair. Plus unlike Skulduggery who was floating somewhere above them she was dealing with hard concrete beneath her feet and any obstacles that were in her way.

They ran past buildings and quiet streets, Valkyrie could hear the clump of her own feet but she realised that Dismal's feet made no sound at all. Valkyrie kept at it though because obviously Dismal wasn't familiar with Dublin, right ahead of them was a forest which she'd either be trapped in or get too lost to find her way out on her own.

To her surprise Dismal did not at once stop at the sight of the tall trees but kept running straight for them. Valkyrie sped up, maybe she wasn't that unfamiliar after all. Still meters ahead of her Dismal began to climb at the nearest tree, scaling it meters at a time. When she'd reached the top she started to jump from tree to tree.

_Oh that's just perfect_ she thought _she's a freaking ninja_.

At this rate she was going to lose her. Valkyrie went full speed ahead into the forest branches cut at her arms.

_It's what I get for wearing a skimpy outfit _she concluded, _Damn Karma_

But she didn't mind so much after the way Skulduggery looked at her when he came to pick her up that night.

It was now or never. Valkyrie took aim and called on fire in the palm of her hand. It hit perfectly at the branch Dismal was just about to land on. She fell. Valkyrie smiled.

Until Dismal managed to stall her landing and grabbed on to a thicker branch.

_And now she's a gymnast._

"Skulduggery!" she called out. If he wasn't going to do anything they were going to lose her.

On cue Skulduggery made a large movement with his arms making a large wind force as Dismal swung herself to another tree. The air hit her and instead of gracefully land on the next branch she hit the trunk of the tree and fell.

Valkyrie arrived at the bottom of the tree in time to catch her and make sure she didn't get away. She took out the cuffs from her back pocket and put them on her.

The cuffs apparently were meant to cancel any magic the victim would try to use.

_Let's hope they work_

Valkyrie cuffed the girl who now had a large amount of scratches and bruises all over her from her landing.

"Better luck next time" Valkyrie said smugly.

Dismal's blue eyes smiled back at her. Valkyrie saw her reach for a rectangular piece of parchment in the back of her pocket and gently tossed it at her.

Valkyrie was pushed back. She used her arms to cover anything vital and she heard a distinct crack as she hit a tree.

_I'm going to kill those guys in the equipment department _ she swore.

Skulduggery came down on the ground next to her.

Dismal backed away slowly.

"Don't try anything irrational" he warned.

Dismal smiled and then disappeared into thin air.

Skulduggery and Valkyrie were left alone.

"Here" said Skulduggery giving her a hand. She took it. Skulduggery took off his jacket and also handed it to her.

"I'm warm enough" she said, pushing it away.

Skulduggery cleared his throat.

Valkyrie looked down. Her clothes were tattered, it was really an explosive that Dismal had used and it left her with barely anything to wear.

Instead of asking Skulduggery if he'd rather her wearing something like this she took the jacket. She was far too annoyed that Dismal had gotten away to play.

"Those cuffs didn't work" she told him.

Skulduggery shook his head.

"It wasn't the cuffs" he told her.

"What?"

"She" said Skulduggery pointing with a gloved finger at the empty spot where Dismal had been, "Is a witch?"

"A Witch?"

"A Witch" Skulduggery confirmed, "A member of a black art which I thought had died out ages ago"

"So why weren't the cuffs 'witch' proof?"

"They didn't have to be" he answered, "As I said, witches are rare, thought to have died out a few decades ago"

"Apparently not" she said.

"Apparently not" Skulduggery agreed.

Valkyrie's relationship had changed over the years. After she had entered the world of adulthood she had gone few a number of boys, hell she even started dating Fletcher again for a little while. But then there was that crush she had on Skulduggery for a while. A few more years of going through good looking boys she decided she'd stick with Skulduggery.

Now twenty four, better looking than ever she had finally gotten what she wanted... Well almost...

She stood on the door step of Uncle Gordon's house arms wrapped around the bony shoulders familiar hands clasped around her waist.

She had to admit for the first few times kissing the beloved skeleton felt strange but now it was child's play. She loved the smooth texture of his bones against her lips and when he held her in his arms she felt herself almost fly.

Still it would be nice to have a little more saliva, her mouth went dry quickly when she and Skulduggery ever had a make out session.

Skulduggery loosened his grip.

"Goodnight" he said in a husky voice.

God his voice was sexy.

Valkyrie held him back and brushed her lips against his teeth again.

"Stay the night" she whispered trying to pull off a seductive purr.

Skulduggery froze.

"Please" she said and she went on tippy toes to kiss his cheekbone.

In the three months that Skulduggery and her were dating he had refused to do anything more than hold her and kiss her. Clothes would remain intact, only slightly ruffled. Hands would never past her hips though she had made it clear to him before he had the 'all access 'pass.

She had at first guessed if it was because Skulduggery was concerned that under those clothes he was only a skeleton but after a while, especially after a few caresses from the man she crossed out the possibility- no man touches a girl like that while thinking he was incapable of pleasing.

She kissed the other cheekbone.

"Don't you want me?" she asked.

Skulduggery pushed her back a little.

"You know it's not that" he told her.

She knew and understood this as well but after the month to convince to date her, that she wasn't a little girl that she did want to be with him, she really didn't want to have the same trouble with other steps in their relationship.

She stepped in closer.

"Well if you do want me, I'm all yours for the taking" she noted.

She pulled him in for another kissed him again and he complied pulling her in.

She moaned a little as he lifted her off the ground a few centimetres. She was just about to jump him and wrap her legs around him when he put her back down.

She was breathless when he did and she felt the reluctance in him as he pulled away.

"Still a no. Well not yet" he told her.

Valkyrie pouted a little.

"Well when then?" she asked.

Skulduggery leant on the door frame with one arm and closed in on her.

"You'll know" he whispered gently in her ear. Valkyrie shuddered with delight.

She was just about to pull him in for another round but he had found the doorknob and opened the door. Valkyrie fell into the house a little less elegantly that she would have liked.

"Goodnight milady" Skulduggery said with a tip of his hat and turned around back to the Bentley.

Vaklyrie gave a sigh of defeat and watched the car drive away before she closed the door.

Skulduggery was a gentleman. She knew that. But she really wished there was a on and off switch to the certain trait as well.

XOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOX – those double space things never work for me. Bear with it 

Valkyrie met Skulduggery the next morning at the Sanctuary. She smiled as she walked up to him and took the coffee he had bought for her with one hand as she went for a small kiss.

Some of the colleagues turn away. They weren't used to the whole hundreds of years old skeleton sleeping with the 24 year old girl they had known since she was 12.

_Well though there isn't any sleeping going on. But they don't know that_ she noted.

Deciding to let them think what they wanted, Valkyrie held onto that kiss a little longer. Besides maybe if there were rumours about the both of them sharing a bed Skulduggery might cave in. No use holding onto a pure reputation if no one believed you had one.

She let go and they walked together.

"So what are we going to do about this Witch? And what are witches anyway? Aren't they just magic users like us?" she asked.

"No" Skulduggery said taking her hand as they walked.

"Witches are mortal. They live a normal lifespan of a human and the magic they use isn't like the magic we use" he explained.

"Witches aren't able to conjure magic on their own. They need a familiar most of the time a magically gifted animal which they are able to draw magic through. Even then they still need objects to conjure their magic"

"Magic wands?" she half asked half joked.

"Rarely, even when Witches were common, would they use wands. Talismans were the most frequently used- easily made and easily replaced"

Valkyrie recalled the parchment that Dismal had pulled out of her pocket.

"Lockets were use as well to store magic in and call it out when needed and there were such thing as Incantations but gabbling a spell when you're about to be attacked isn't that favourable,

"Witches as you can presume are females and they run through bloodline. The mate has to be magic wielding and only a first born girl will inherit her mother's gift. This made them scarce compared to normal magic wielders"

He continued.

"Also a normal magic user, like you and I have a limit to the magic we can do. It depends on the person, their ability. Since Witches don't draw out their magic from themselves they don't really have limit. If they do it's their sanity"

"And they are gone because"

He looked at her with all seriousness.

"We know power can be addicting. A few decades ago witches tried to take over the Sanctuary. It's wasn't just because they were a minority. Most of them went insane with the amount of power they had. Survivors left their practice, merged in with normal life. I only know one practicing witch, not counting the one we saw last night and as far as I know she has no interest in continuing the bloodline" he finished.

They had arrived where Ghastly was. Valkyrie went and gave him a hug.

"Is this about the Witch case you reported?" he asked Skulduggery as he let go of Valkyrie.

Skulduggery nodded an affirmative.

"Are you still in touch Eris?" Ghastly asked.

"Who?" Valkyrie asked.

"Eris Vulpine" said Skulduggery, he looked back at Ghastly, "Yes she never fails in sending a Christmas card every year"

"And she is?" Valkyrie continued.

"Remember that Witch I told you about a few moments ago that I knew?" he said.

Valkyrie nodded, "The one that was practicing still, yes I remember"

"That's her"

"The Sanctuary don't have any records on her, so you'll have to find her on your own"

"I know where I could get a few leads" Skulduggery said, "But she might not have moved in the last 20 years. Either way it should be easy to find her"

"You friends with this Eris?" Valkyrie asked.

Ghastly gave Skulduggery an awkward look.

Skulduggery cleared his throat a little.

"Eris and I" he said, "Well I guess you could say she was an old flame of mine"

"Oh" Valkyrie said.

"Oh indeed" noted Skulduggery.

**A/N: Can't believe I made up all that witch stuff to sound plausible.**

**Why do I feel like this story is going to get flamers?**

**You know you should review. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you to the Anomynous' review 'Come on bed bed bed' It made my day **

It was hard to explain it but Valkyrie didn't feel at all worried about meeting a woman from Skulduggery's past. After all Skulduggery knew many people from her own past and that's the only thing they were now- the past.

In fact Valkyrie was interested in what sort of woman Eris Vulpine would be. What sort of women did Skulduggery like? He had never told her of his past wife and Valkyrie was about to raise the topic of his dead family any time soon. He'd tell her about it when he was ready.

Still this didn't mean that she couldn't get a few tips from Eris on how to get her favourite skeleton into bed.

Finding Eris' home had not been as easy as Skulduggery had thought it would be. They had been running around for leads for the past few days but it seemed like they had finally found her.

It seemed that Eris had detached herself a little from the magical society. Many of these that Skulduggery and herself went to were normal people, who commented on her being a lovely, kind hearted lady by the name of Clare Greyson.

Many them actually were concerned why Skulduggery and Valkyrie were looking for her.

"She's not in any trouble" Skulduggery had told them, "Just an old friend who I lost touch with"

This led to very nostalgic and long conversations between the people they had asked and Skulduggery himself. Valkyrie didn't know how to feel about this.

She didn't have any worries about losing Skulduggery but she didn't like feeling out of conversation, or the way Skulduggery spoke fondly of her.

"Eris is a- ...she's a very _straightforward_ woman" Skulduggery warned her as they drove to the address that one of the connections had written on the back of a receipt.

Valkyrie nodded silently.

Skulduggery drove with one hand and rested the other on Valkyrie neck, twiddling his fingers in the hair there.

"I know I'm impeccable and women can't take their hands of me" he begun, "But you have nothing to worry about"

Valkyrie laughed.

"Oh please" she said and she put a hand on his thigh.

"I would never let you go" she told him.

Skulduggery looked at her and she knew he was smiling.

He leant over quickly and gave a swift brush of his teeth on her ear when they stopped at a red light and she felt her heart flutter like it normally did around him. She turned her head to initiate a kiss but the lights turn green and Skulduggery's attention turned back to the road. Valkyrie cursed silently but she didn't take her hand away from his thigh.

The house which the address led to surprised Valkyrie immensely. It looked so _normal_ and not to mention the houses surrounding it all had senior citizens living in it. A small garden a small blue car parked in the drive way and lace curtains hanging from the windows.

"And this is a Witch's den" Skulduggery mused softly. They parked at the side of the road and exited the car.

When Valkyrie arrived by his side Skulduggery took her hand. She looked at him quizzically.

"For extra caution" Skulduggery explained, "I told you she was a straightforward woman but she's also the type to act on impulse"

"Ah" Valkyrie said.

They walked on a pebbled pathway and Valkyrie realised she saw a black cat round the corner of the house.

_Well at least there is something that is faintly Witch like_ she thought.

The door opened before Skulduggery knocked.

Eris Vulpine was nothing that Valkyrie had imagined she would be.

Firstly she didn't look a day over thirty though Skulduggery said he and Eris ended things over twenty years ago which would make her at least over 40.

She was mature and womanly and not matter how you looked at her you could see signs of Oriental descent. Dark brown hair curled to frame her face while the rest was loosely pulled into a bun. She wore glasses at the end of her nose, her lips were cherry red and she dressed casual wearing jeans and a sweater.

"I heard there were two unusual people looking for me, I figured it was you Skulduggery" she said. Her voice was velvet smooth and her smile was soft. Valkyrie could tell this was the sort of woman who managed to make friends with everyone.

"Eris" Skulduggery said with a little nod, "How did you know it was me?"

"A friend said that one was dressed in black and the other looked like he was wearing a handmade suit" she replied, "You were never this predictable when I met you, what happened?"

"My apologies" he said pretending to bow, "I'll make sure to wear my chicken suit next time"

Valkyrie at this point was trying to blend in with the background but she knew that Eris' sharp black eyes had looked at her first when she had opened the door.

"Eris Vulpine" she introduced herself and outstretched a hand. Her smile was warm.

"Valkyrie Cain" she answered and she shook the firm hand. 

"I've heard a few things about you Miss Cain" she told her as she let go of the hand, "You are quite accomplished for your young age"

She motioned them to come in and Valkyrie immersed herself with the house. Everything look normal. There was nothing out of the ordinary in the house. It was clean and well kept. A nearby lounge room had a newspaper and a cup of coffee still steaming on a coffee table.

Eris ushered them into this room and told them to sit down.

"Cup of coffee Valkyrie?" she asked, "I just made some"

"Yes please" she answered. Skulduggery hadn't let go of her hand since he took it. She knew Eris would have noticed this already but she didn't make a point out of it.

A moment later Eris came back with a tray with a cup, a coffee pot, sugar and milk. She quite professionally put it on the table.

"It should be quite good" she told Valkyrie as she poured a cup, "I was a barista when I was younger for almost ten years"

Valkyrie took the cup and added her own sugar and milk. She took a sip. It was good coffee.

Eris sat in the chair opposite them.

"So what brings the Sanctuary to my home today?" she asked still bright.

Skulduggery took a picture from his jacket pocket (with the hand that wasn't holding Valkyrie's and gave it to her.

"Do you know her?" he asked, "She goes by the name Lightning Dismal, maybe you've heard of her"

Eris looked at the picture and gave it back quickly.

"I don't need a name to recognise my own daughter" Eris answered. Valkyrie could tell Skulduggery was surprised.

"She's not my actual daughter Skulduggery" Eris said calmly in a mock sort of tone.

"Lisa, that's her real name, was an orphan. She came to me about four years ago. A familiar joined her and she didn't know anything about magic. She unknowingly took magic from it at a steady pace and she tracked me down to find answers"

"You took her in, raised her and taught her magic" Valkyrie asked.

"Lisa's familiar isn't a normal familiar which you can break ties with. She's a special familiar and once tied with a witch their connection can't be broken. Lisa can never go back to a normal life" Eris explained, "It was my obligation to teach her to wield her magic properly"

"And you never reported this to the Sanctuary?" Skulduggery did not sound pleased.

"I didn't think it was necessary" Eris told him, her smile had faded.

Valkyrie could see Skulduggery grimace a little through his body gestures.

"Do you know where she is now?" Valkyrie asked breaking the tension.

"No" she answered coolly.

"You're not worried that your own daughter is missing?" Skulduggery tuned in.

"She'll come back" Eris said positively.

"How do you know?"

Eris swiftly pointed to a fish tank behind her. Valkyrie had spotted this before and thought it was nothing out of the ordinary.

"That's Lisa's familiar" Eris told them.

The large goldfish swam lazily around the tank through crevasses of underwater castles.

"The goldfish?" Valkyrie asked amused.

"Surprised me too" Eris commented and laughed a little.

"However if Lisa wants to recharge her magic she needs to come back here. I've tied Sunny to this house, she can't be moved till I break the spell" Eris said.

"That's why you know she'll be back" Skulduggery confirmed.

Eris nodded. Valkyrie saw something. Eris' eyes flickered slightly to the window behind them but the trained eyes quickly looked back at them.

"So what did Lisa do?" Eris quickly said.

Valkyrie wanted to look behind them but if Dismal was behind them it would only alert her. She didn't want to lose Dismal again.

"Stole some documents from the Sanctuary" Skulduggery told her unfazed, "They were too old and everyone forgot what they were actually about, but now I think it might be likely it was something to do with the Witches who died in the past battle"

Eris shrugged.

"Can't help a poor girl trying to find out where she came from" Eris said.

"She could've approached the sanctuary" Skulduggery noted.

"She doesn't trust the Sanctuary" Eris quickly said.

Skulduggery and Eris had a staring contest at this point but it was cut short when something else caught Eris' eye. This time Valkyrie saw a shadow.

Valkyrie leapt onto the couch and swung her leg back, letting go of Skulduggery's hand. A blasting blow cracked glass splaying it everywhere.

"Shit" she heard Eris say.

Dismal fell back on the ground her hands covering her face to protect herself from the grass. Valkyrie jumped through the window and Dismal crawled up ready to sprint.

"Skulduggery!" Valkyrie yelled. Skulduggery got up from the couch ready to chase after Dismal as well.

Suddenly Valkyrie heard Eris gabble a loud incantation and the next thing she saw was Skulduggery being thrown out of another window and collapse on the grass.

Dismal had started to run while Valkyrie gave a concerned look at Skulduggery.

"After her!" she heard Skulduggery yelled.

Valkyrie didn't need to be told twice. She ran out of the driveway after Dismal as she heard another loud shout of words and another explosion.

Dismal, Valkyrie noticed, was much slower than a few nights before.

_Most be a pain to have to constantly replenish magic_ she thought and she sped up.

Dismal turned a left and Valkyrie was closing the gap between them. When Valkyrie turned the corner she felt a hard foot plant into her chest. Valkyrie skidded back.

Dismal moved into fighting pose to show she had no intention of running away this time.

Valkyrie smiled and stood straight patting dust off her clothes. She pulled her fists up.

"Bring it on bitch" she muttered.

She moved forward and threw a punch which Dismal managed to dodge sending an upper cut to Valkyrie's stomach. Valkyrie pulled the fist forward dragging Dismal forward and kneed her in the stomach in return.

Dismal obviously was far used to running away than staying for a fight. She fell backward clutching her stomach. Valkyrie pinned a leg down so she couldn't run away again.

_Easy_

Valkyrie felt a sudden kick to her shoulder and she toppled over.

Eris gave another kick to Valkyrie's stomach.

Valkyrie took a clear look at Eris. She stood over her holding a fishbowl in one arm and making it clear to Valkyrie that she didn't need magic to take care of her.

She gave a hand to Dismal helping her up and gave her the fishbowl.

"Go" she told her softly. Dismal gave her mother a quick hug and ran away at the speed that Valkyrie remembered her at the night before.

Eris bent down and gave Valkyrie a hand. Valkyrie still wheezing from the kicked slapped it away.

Valkyrie pulled herself off the ground as she saw Skulduggery jogging toward their direction looking as if he had better days.

"Eris Vulpine" he said, "We are taking you in custody, for interfering with an arrest, with assaulting two members of the-"

Eris looked at Skulduggery without an emotion and held her wrists out.

"Take me away" she said a bit of laughter in her voice. Skulduggery brushed past her and held Valkyrie's arm.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine" she said clutching her stomach still.

"Sorry" Eris apologised and she put a hand on Valkyrie's shoulder.

Valkyrie was going to brush it away but she suddenly felt a lot better. Her stomach loosened up and the pained faded away. She looked at Eris amazed.

"Pretty cool huh" Eris said, "Witchery isn't like elemental magic"

"We're still taking you in custody" Skulduggery told her but she just shrugged.

"Shackle me up lover boy"

Skulduggery didn't smile.

Still can't do those spacing things.

By the time they got back to Skulduggery's house Valkyrie was done for the day.

They spent an hour chasing after Eris' familiar which Skulduggery said they needed to take with them as well. It was the black cat that Valkyrie had seen roaming the house but it was quicker and agile. It was only after an hour that Eris told them that if they let her use a bit of magic she could call the familiar to her.

After that they drove Eris back to the Sanctuary in silence. Eris feeling no guilt whatsoever in her actions didn't make it hard for them to put her in a detaining cell.

As soon as they go to Skulduggery's house Valkyrie went to have a shower. She rubbed the scratched Mr. Whisker's had given her and let herself wander off as she stood in the warm water.

She didn't like it but she did like Eris. Even going against the Sanctuary for letting a Witch escape she could tell Eris wasn't the bad type. Strong and wilful a little like herself, Eris was just another person trying to live in the world.

Wondering what the Sanctuary did for make Eris lose her trust in it, she turned off the water and got out of the shower drying herself off. Maybe Skulduggery would tell her.

When she got out of the bathroom and saw Skulduggery sitting on his armchair she had a better idea.

She joined him on the armchair sitting on his lap and put her head on his shoulder. He shuffled a little to accommodate her better.

"How was the battle with Eris?" she asked, Skulduggery didn't often lose a fight.

"Well it's not the first time she threw me out of a window" he told her. She pressed her nose into his neck.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine" he answered, "She's improved in her offensive magic, which concerns me. However she did have the advantage with her familiar being near her. She had magic stored in about ever single object in that household too"

"Is your ego wounded at all?"

"No why would it be?"

"Cause you just got beaten by a girl" Valkyrie laughed, "You're ex-girlfriend too"

"Please I'm not that much of a child, your notions are absolutely ludicrous" he said looking dramatically into the empty distance.

He looked back at her.

"Plus my ego is untouchable"

Valkyrie laughed, snuggled in his arms.

"Forgive me oh Master so misjudging so"

"Yes, insolent child, that was a horrible misjudgement"

He looked down at her, curled on his lap with her head now planted on his chest.

For being only bones Skulduggery was incredibly comfortable.

"Are you sleepy?" he asked. Valkyrie raised her head and kissed him. Gentle and slow.

"Apparently not sleepy enough" he said and wrapped his arms around her. He bent his head down and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She moved so her legs were on either side of him. It felt terrible cramped in the small armchair but she didn't mind.

Though decidedly different to kissing her past boyfriends she felt that kissing Skulduggery felt the best. She didn't feel like he only wanted her body or that she didn't know him enough to be doing these things with him. It just felt right, so perfect.

He was her best friend. Her partner. Her love.

She placed kissed down his jaw down his neck. She thought she heard him moan a little bit as she undid his top button and loosened his tie.

The tie slid off and she let it drop beside them on the floor.

She came back to his face to kiss the cavity where his nose would be.

"What do you want from me Valkyrie?"

The voice was small but serious. Valkyrie rested her forehead on his shoulder, slightly annoyed he interrupted the moment but she covered it with a laugh.

"Well if you're taking requests" she joked trailing a hand down his shirt. He caught it and fiddled with her fingers.

He pressed his teeth against her neck.

"Is this what you want?" he whispered to her.

_God yes _she thought as her darkness desires became visible. She clutched him a bit tighter and gave him a deeper kiss. She heard him snigger a little at her actions but he complied with her actions.

"What's so funny" she asked looking into the empty sockets.

"Are you so keen on losing your virtue?" he asked. Valkyrie frowned.

"If the reason why you haven't made love to me is because of my virtue, I'm not going to be happy" she said with a serious voice.

"Don't worry that's not it" he told her, "Just one of my attempts to sound like a gentleman"

"You really aren't you know"

"Well I try. But no I'm not" he purred against her neck, "Gentlemen don't do this?"

"Then why do you always stop?"

Now she was serious. She wanted to know what had been keeping Skulduggery from touching her.

Skulduggery was silent and looked at her for a moment. Before he leaned in and kissed her.

All thoughts disappeared from her mind.

She kissed him and kissed him again sighing as he buried his fingers in her hair and a hand reached under the back of her shirt.

_God I hope this is it_ she hoped.

She wrapped her legs around his waist pulling him forward.

She was consumed in unimaginable bliss. In the arms of the man she loved. Hell being here in the moment she could believe that there wouldn't be any other person other Skulduggery after this.

She felt that he was as worked up as her as a hand drifted to her thigh. He gave her kisses in his own way. Gently nipping at the skin on her neck.

In her head she heard music play in head. A steady beat with lyrics she knew but they faded into her subconsciousness.

She wondered what it would be like to be completely joined to Skulduggery. Not that she hadn't thought of this before. In the past even when they weren't dating Valkyrie had a number of _sessions _where she tried to imagine what the Skeleton making love to her would feel like.

She buried her face in his shirt breathing the familiar scent of Skulduggery. She wanted it to devour her, to be drowned in everything he was and what he would be.

Her eyes closed her mind playing to the rhythm of the song that played in her.

Bone on nubile skin, she felt herself being swallowed into the moment as dark desires rose from inside of her. Skulduggery was only thing that filled her mind with the sound of the music filling in their story.

His mouth pressed gently against her ear. Barely a touch.

"Marry me"

Her eyes snapped open.

**A/N: What a plot twist :P I didn't expect that ending either :D**

**The song that was in Valkyrie's head was **_**Parachute **_**by Ingrid Michaelson. It was playing when I wrote the scene.**

**God I love naughty Valkyrie.**


	3. Chapter 3

"What?" she said.

She drew back so she could look at him properly. He held on to her so she couldn't let go or get too far away from.

It amazed her that even though Skulduggery didn't have eyes it still felt like he could stare into her soul.

"Marry me" he told her again, his voice was unwavering and serious.

His hands had found hers which had gone slack and they proceeded to hold them gently.

Valkyrie was taken aback. She had not expected this. She tried to find words so she didn't leave him hanging.

"Take your time to answer" he told her, just as she was sounding out the words, "I know the whole idea of marrying as young as you are, freaks you out"

Thankful, Valkyrie ran her mind across her thoughts. She loved Skulduggery she did. But marriage? She was so young. They had only been dating for a few months for God sake.

"What brought this on?" she asked bewildered still.

Skulduggery's shoulders moved as if he was breathing out.

"Well it occurred to me when we started dating that we could never go back to the way we were before after we started something" he told her.

She nodded they had both known this, they had talked about it before they started anything.

"More recently I realised that if we passed a certain... point, it was either together forever or nothing" he said, "I just wanted to make sure if that boundary was going to be passed that it would be 'forever'"

"So that's why you never made love to me?" she asked, "Because you didn't want to go that far with the chance that we would one day not be together"

Skulduggery looked a little solemn now.

"One day you might look at me and wished I was someone else" he said. He shrugged, "Maybe even something else"

Valkyrie thought it over. All the pieces were coming together.

"And so you're saying it now-" she said blushing a little.

"Because if I didn't say it soon we were going to go over than boundary pretty soon anyway" he said, his eyes snapped back to hers again "I'm talking about the next ten minutes soon"

Valkyrie tried to push away the thought that she was so close to getting what she wanted. She focused herself back to the topic at hand.

Skulduggery had his reasoning right. There was no way she could offended that he thought she might leave him. After all look at the line of boys she had left behind.

_But none of them were Skulduggery _she thought and the fact that he felt insecure stung a little.

"I love you" he told her, his voice a whisper again, "I have for longer than I've let on". She felt her heart thump loudly at this and her face went a fiery shade of red than it had been. He put his head on her shoulder.

"If we did this" he gestured at their position, "And it didn't work out between us, it would come close to killing me a second time"

He looked back into her eyes again.

"I can't be with you as a partner, love you as the woman of my dreams and see you in the arms of another man with memories of what we were"

Still not knowing what to say Valkyrie held him close and put her forehead on his.

"Let me think it over" she whispered the words took eternity to come out.

"I expected that"

"I love you Skulduggery. I love you more than anyone I know. I know I'll always love you. But I need to- mull over it still. Get my head around it"

They pulled apart a little and then she kissed him again. She smiled.

"So I'm guessing if I do say yes-"

"You wouldn't need to do any convincing to get me into bed" he said in a seductive voice against her ear as he nipped it with hard teeth.

Valkyrie laughed softly but shakily still.

"I like the idea of that"

He kissed her cheek, it tickled a little.

"Don't leave me waiting too long"

Valkyrie made a silent promise not to.

They didn't continue any further that night. Skulduggery took her back to her house and they gave each other an elongated goodbye. Skulduggery finally let go of her and she felt her mind and body slip back to _terra firma_, she watched him leave and the car drive into the distance before she leaned on the door closing it shut.

She breathed out a heavy sigh. Valkyrie felt her mind running with thoughts of the future ahead of her. If she went through the thoughts in her head she was sure she would accept Skulduggery's proposal but her heart still didn't feel steady.

She fell into a reverie of twenty years in the future if she did agree. She could see herself and Skulduggery working side by side, naturally. For a moment she tried to think of what it would be like if she said no.

Valkyrie shook her head pulling herself out of the thought.

She breathed out again. Heavy and slow.

She did not like what she saw.

FAKE DOUBLE SPACE. SOMEBODY TELL ME HOW TO DO THEM ALREADY!

Valkyrie woke up that morning feeling disorientated. She sat up and checked the time breathing out.

Suddenly all the events of the night before hit her. Without too much thought she picked up her mobile and called Tanith.

"What's wrong Valkyrie?" said Tanith immediately after the dial tone stopped.

"Hello to you to?" she said chuckling a little.

"Hello Valkyrie. Happy?" she said but her voice was a playful whisper.

"Why are you whispering?" she asked back in a whisper.

There was a pause.

"I'm at Ghastly's place and he's still asleep" Tanith finally answered. Valkyrie tried to laugh to loud, it amazed her how Tanith was shy about these sort of things when she looked and dressed like something that said 'eat me'. Or maybe that was just her. Valkyrie was not planning to go the other way or anything but if she did, she'd so hit that.

"Oooh" she cooed, "Still asleep huh. Busy night?"

"Shut up!" came a fierce whisper.

Valkyrie laughed again.

"Now what is it? You don't call me at 5 o' clock in the morning for no reason"

"Jesus it's five?" she said surprised.

_But it's bright out_ she thought but then realised she had only left the light on.

"Yes it is. What is it?"

Valkyrie thought for a moment trying to get what she planning to tell Tanith in order.

"Skulduggery proposed to me last night"

"OH MY FREAKIN-!" she screamed, Valkyrie had to put the phone away from her ear.

"oh my freaking god!" Tanith said in a loud whisper, "holy shit! oh my god! Jesus mother of Mary! _you're getting married_! I'm so happy for you but I can't believe you're getting married before me. Makes me feel so old. But you're getting _married_! For god's sake I'm not going to ask if I'm going to be the maid of honour because if there is anyone else but me I'm going to kill the freaking bitch-"

"Tanith I didn't give him an answer" she interrupted knowing Tanith would go on for too long if she let her.

"Oh" Tanith said quietly.

Valkyrie waited for more.

"Oh" Tanith repeated, "You OK? Is _he_ OK?"

"We're fine. We're really good actually. That or the make out session we had after was a part of a dream" she answered. She heard Tanith breathed out.

"Are you surprised that I didn't answer?" Valkyrie asked, she wanted an honest opinion.

"Well" Tanith started of uncertain, "You always said stuff about not settling down for a few centuries but that was when you were dating other guys. When you started to date Skulduggery I thought 'This is it'. But now I think about it and I guess it's not that surprising. You're not much of a stable girl Val when it comes to guys and you guys have only been dating for a few months"

"Yeah" Valkyrie said softly, tensing up a little as Tanith pointed out her faults in relationships.

Tanith went quiet for a moment sensing Valkyrie's sensitivity.

"You are going to say yes aren't you?" Tanith finally said.

"Yes- I'm not sure. I need to think about it"

Silence again.

"Ghastly's waking up I'll talk to you later OK?"

"OK?"

Tanith hung up and Valkyrie threw her phone on the bedside table to ruffle her hair and she made an elongated sigh.

_Maybe some work would clear her head up_ she thought. She had an appointment that morning to question Eris Vulpine.

_I wonder if Eris and Skulduggery were ever serious? Skulduggery doesn't seemed to be the type to fool around but I can't imagine those to seriously dating_.

Valkyrie prepared to have her morning shower. Perhaps Eris could give her some in sight on the manner.

While she showered she tried to pin down what was holding her back for agreeing to Skulduggery's proposal. She loved him that was for sure. She could imagine them together in the future. She wasn't too scared of the idea of being tied to someone for the rest of her life. What exactly was the problem?

Not being able to find any solace in her thinking Valkyrie turned off the water and headed for the Sanctuary.

Valkyrie liked the Bentley- loved the Bentley and she had thought about getting one herself. But prices didn't exactly suit her. She had settled for a motorbike.

Not just any motorbike though a Kawasaki Ninja 1000. The small fortune that Gordon had left her gave her enough liberation to choose it. And she loved the black sleekness which matched her leather clad outfit and the thrill on night drives.

Skulduggery called it a death machine but the Ninja came very close to the Bentley on her standards.

She speeded on the roads, weaved between cars while the force of the bike calmed down her worries but when she parked her bike and got off she felt cramps in her body. Valkyrie wondered just how tense she was on that drive.

Now she was annoyed, annoyed at herself for not saying yes to Skulduggery. Annoyed herself for not being able to figure out why she wasn't ready to say yes. And now she was annoyed for getting annoyed at herself.

_Maybe I'll give Eris a hard time to cool myself off_ she thought as she entered the Sanctuary.

Now that she was an adult the Sanctuary found that she should be able to hold other responsibilities other than chasing the bad guys. She did paperwork she did questionings now.

"How come I never see you do this stuff Skulduggery" she had once asked, when she got her first load of paperwork.

"Because I can't hold a pen with these fingers" he answered waving the phalanges in the air mystically.

"Computers?"

"The screen hurts my head"

"But I've see you use a computer before her" she rebuked

"I'm not doing paperwork Valkyrie" he said quickly and looked at her as if he was smiling, "You however being so young a mobile should have no trouble with it"

"Cocky asshole" she commented but she let it go after he leaned in to kiss her.

Smiling at the memory she asked Jimmy what cell Eris would be in. Jimmy fluster and clattered around his desk for the right paper. Jimmy's second name was Jimmy but the man was hardly the type for practical work, thin with glasses he chose an ordinary name and had a crush on Valkyrie when he first started working at the Sanctuary. Ever since she had started to date Skulduggery he seemed to freak out at the sight of her.

"Block CC4 Miss Cain" he said.

"Thanks Jim. And for the millionth time is just Val" she said.

He readjusted his glasses to sit upright on his nose but his fingers slipped and he poked himself in the eye.

"Yes Miss Cain. Um sorry Valkyrie" he replied but Valkyrie was off before he could finish.

_Poor guy _she thought, _I should set someone up with him_.

Walking past corridors, down stairs, saying hello to co-workers she made her way to Eris' cell. She looked inside the cell before she entered. Eris sat there on the edge of a bed, calm in a state of repose.

She opened the door and took out the mandatory tape recorder out of her pocket.

"Valkyrie" she said.

"Eris" Valkyrie replied her voice stoic. Eris smiled her personality taking over the calm demure she had laid on herself previously.

"What gives me the pleasure to see you today?" she asked, she leaned back putting her arms behind her for support while she crossed her legs. She raised an eyebrow as she waited for Valkyrie to respond.

Valkyrie crossed her arms and smiled.

"Questioning" she answered matching Eris' personality.

"Ah"

Eris changed back to an upright position with her hands in her lap.

"Ask away. I have nothing to hide"

Valkyrie nodded an answer.

"Are you in league with Dismal Lightning?"

"Well, I'm here for helping her aren't I?"

"Do you have any idea of the whereabouts of Dismal Lightning?"

"No. I make a point of not intruding on things my daughter would like to keep for herself"

"Do you know what her motives are?"

"Something related to the Sanctuary and the Witches, but as for specifics... your guess is as good as mine?"

"What can you tell me of you're and your daughter's past with the Sanctuary"

Eris went silent for a moment. Valkyrie waited patiently for an answer. Eris leant forward slightly and twiddled her thumbs in her lap.

"Let me tell you my side of the story Miss. Cain, it'll be easier than answering your questions" she proposed, "Skulduggery would've told you about what happened between the Witches and the Sanctuary right?"

Valkyrie nodded again.

"I was four years old when it happened" she retold, "I was a witch that was for certain but I had no part in the battle. My mother however was one of the ringleaders, her name was Mist Falls. She wasn't killed by the Sanctuary, she was one of the two ringleaders that didn't die, but the battle- did things to her. She went insane not from over wielding magic but from torture the Sanctuary had used on her to find other ringleaders. My father left us soon afterwards and the Sanctuary did nothing to compensate us. Witches were declared an enemy, not publicly but no one from the Sanctuary would treat them as a friend after that"

She paused and rested her chin on her hands.

"I was 16 when my mother committed suicide. I had no relatives from my mother's side left and my father wanted nothing to do with me. He was a high rank then and my mother's actions were an embarrassment to him. I was an embarrassment to him. His child an enemy of the Sanctuary. Ha- that must've been so horrible for him" she said sarcastically looking nowhere. Her eyes went back to Valkyrie's.

"Lisa came to me seven years ago. She was young with great potential not knowing how to control her magic. I searched into her past. I found her mother had taken part in the battle when she was young and she did go insane because of magic wielding. I found documents that she had been discriminated and raped- the Sanctuary let go the case said it was for non-magic law to deal with because the man wasn't magic wielding. But that's not true" her words went bitter.

"There is no way on God's green earth that's true because Lisa is a God damn witch. That bastard was a magic user and a strong one at that, it can be seen by how strong a Witch Lisa is" she said tensing.

"What did you do?" Valkyrie asked, she was interested now.

"When Lisa was 16 I felt she was old enough to know the truth about how she entered this world. I brought the case to the Sanctuary three years ago using her as evidence but it was dismissed. Interesting how the Sanctuary isn't the great place you thought it was isn't it?" she said with a sad smile.

"Anyway that's when Lisa started to get interested with what happened with the Witches in the past. I didn't stop her. She was just a young girl who wanted to find herself. I know she did some research on her mother but she died a few years before" she continued.

"How could I stop her Valkyrie?" Eris suddenly asked her, "She lost a mother as I did. Her father is a bloody asshole just like mine. She might've gone against the Sanctuary but I'm the last person to say that the Sanctuary is a justified ruler of the magic world. And she's my daughter. I love her"

"What happened to your father?" Valkyrie asked her.

Eris laughed coldly.

"Interesting that actually" Eris commented, "I attempted to find him and make him pay- not kill him, but make him pay. And guess who stopped me? Skulduggery did. Of course I was bloody pissed at him at the time but he treated me like I was _human_. I hadn't been treated like that in years. I was just the child of a crazy Witch, a demon spawn. But he made me feel _human_. I guess he understood what it was like when everyone treated you like an animal. My father dropped off the twig around ten years ago anyway" she gave Valkyrie a smirk, "Of natural causes of course"

Valkyrie turned the tape recorder off. _So that's how they met_ Valkyrie thought _sounds like something out of a story, a felon and a detective falling in love_.

"What was your relationship with Skulduggery like?" Valkyrie asked. Eris looked surprised for a moment but then smiled sheepishly at her.

"You're dating aren't you? Skulduggery was trying to make it as obvious as he could yesterday- I was a bit... _unpredictable_ in the past" she said with a reminiscing face.

"Yes we are" Valkyrie answered trying to not make it obvious that something had recently happened between them.

"Skulduggery and I were never- serious. We could've been... maybe. But he stuck with the Sanctuary and at the time I was fully fledged against it and as much as we liked each other we knew that with our views we'd never have a future together. That doesn't mean we didn't have a lot of fun though" she said with a large grin.

"I don't know how far you and Skulduggery have progressed but _Look Forward to It_" she said charmingly. Valkyrie blushed a little.

"Why you ask?" Eris said, "You don't look the type to worry over an ex, even has drop dead gorgeous as I am"

Valkyrie thought for a moment. Against the Sanctuary or not Eris looked... how to put it... trustworthy. She wasn't a bad person that was for sure and she seemed nice. Plus she knew more about Skulduggery's love life than she did... her input could be... helpful.

"Skulduggery proposed to me" Valkyrie said bluntly. Eris' eyes went wide and her eyebrows rose up.

"Wow" she breathed out, "Did not expect that"

She was silent again but Valkyrie could see her thinking it out in her mind, occasionally she would nod to herself and say 'ah'.

"You asked me because you wanted to know if I had any insight about it" she said.

"Yes" answered Valkyrie. Eris nodded again.

"Tell me everything" Eris said and Valkyrie complied.

She told her about how she was trying to get Skulduggery into bed (which Eris grinned all the way through), how Skulduggery brought it up, how she had no idea how to answer, absolutely everything.

"He has manipulated you" Eris said.

"What?" Valkyrie asked confused. She understood Skulduggery's reasoning she thought the problem was in herself, not Skulduggery.

"Thank about it" Eris said, "Do you have a choice?"

"Well, yes. I can say yes or no obviously" Valkyrie started.

"Do you want to say yes?"

"Of course I do"

"Do you want to say no?"

"No"

"Do you know why?"

"Yes it's because I know is just some silly thing keeping me from saying yes"

"No it's because you don't want to lose Skulduggery" Eris said, "He's your best friend, your mentor your lover, he's everything"

Valkyrie tried to catch up with her thinking.

"Now I'll ask you again. Do you have a choice?"

"Well..." Valkyrie thought more about how she felt, "No I don't have a choice".

"Voila" Eris said with a flick of a hand.

Valkyrie was shocked into silence. Skulduggery would know she wouldn't be able to reject him- he would've known.

"Now I've known you for about a day" Eris said, "But I can tell you like to be independent. You like giving yourself orders. I think the reason why you don't want to say yes is because deep down inside you feel like he hasn't given you the option to say no and you don't like not being in control"

Valkyrie thought this over. It seemed possible.

"Now Skulduggery probably has done this unintentionally, he's got reasoning behind his actions, but he's done this and it's made you uncomfortable" Eris told her.

Valkyrie felt slightly depressed now. She knew what she was going to answer Skulduggery with now.

"Thank you" she said softly. Eris smiled again.

"Your welcome. You love Skulduggery. I can see it in how you talk about him and you probably do want to marry him. But maybe not right now and definitely not like this" Eris told her and stood up.

To her astonishment the woman gave her a hug. Even more surprising Valkyrie hugged her back. She'd never made friends with someone this quick.

After a few more reassuring words from Eris, Valkyrie walked out of the cell. She walked with a purpose and made her way to the section where they handed in evidence. Skulduggery was there waiting for her.

He was leaning against a wall, head cocked and looking at her happily. Valkyrie looked at him and he stood properly to greet her. For some reason she felt confident.

"Hello beautiful" he said with an invisible smile.

"Skulduggery?"

"I need to tell you something" she said softly.

"And what might that be?" he asked still in a bright tone.

Valkyrie breathed in.

"I'm sorry but I'm not going to marry you" she said breaking it gently.

The invisible smile vanished.

**A/N: I don't know cliff hangers and me just- bond. I like this story it never ceases to surprise me. I don't plan out my stories but go with the flow.**

**I think this story will have three more chapters, possibly two. And yes the last chapter will have what you've all been waiting for, watered down a lot for the minors of course. **


	4. Chapter 4

"Skulduggery?" Valkyrie asked, gently brushing his arm. He had frozen completely and hadn't moved for a minute or so. People were starting to notice the skeleton's lack of quirky remarks in the passing time.

_I guess I could've thought this out better_ she compiled _But I didn't think he'd act like this_.

"Skulduggery? D- Do something" Valkyrie said with anxiety in her voice. She moved her hand to touch his cheekbone and he drew back with sudden coldness. She felt a pain in her heart as he withdrew but he noticed it and closened the distance between them again.

He took her wrist and started to walk, taking her along with him. He stopped for a moment and looked back at her.

"Let's go" he whispered so only she could hear.

This was bad, he wasn't bothering with the usual facade that he wore of a courtly nature, full of chivalry. He was letting his emotions get ahead of him, but she couldn't tell him to stop.

She walked faster so it wouldn't seem like he was dragging her behind, rather that they were both walking somewhere in a hurry hand in hand, which did cause the frequent onlooker to look suspiciously. Valkyrie heard someone whisper; 'I wonder what they find out' and it relieved her. People would just think that Skulduggery and herself were on an important case, not that her skeleton lover was about to have an emotional breakdown.

As they reached outside, Valkyrie saw the Bentley and immediately continued to walk to it but Skulduggery stopped.

"Skulduggery?" she asked.

He let go of her hand.

"Is your answer really a no?" he asked, straightforwardly.

She looked at him trying to read his mind.

"I'm afraid so" she said.

Skulduggery was silent as a statue. Then he nodded his head.

"Well... that's that" he said and walked towards the Bentley, unlocking the doors and opening his own. Valkyrie moved and reached for the door handle but stopped at the sound of the doors locking again.

She looked up at the skeleton.

"Are you seriously doing this?" she confronted, annoyed now.

"Yes" he answered.

She groaned and stood straight to stare him down.

"Don't give me this crap Skulduggery. You haven't heard me out yet!" she exclaimed. She didn't normally swear in front of Skulduggery, but at the moment she was too frustrated to care.

"I did. You said no" he rebuked.

"You didn't listen to my reasons"

"I don't need to"

"Oh really?" she put her hands on her hips, "So since when could you read my mind"

"I don't have to"

"Skulduggery. Open this door. Right. Now"

He looked at her. Hand on the door open to him. She stared back him, unwilling to stand down.

Finally he went into the car and shut the door close.

"Skulduggery your acting like a child!" she cried out as the engine roared to life.

"Skulduggery! Don't you dare go without hearing me out"

He drove away.

After hearing the screeching of wheels fade away, Valkyrie collapsed into hopelessness.

_Great. Well isn't this just fucking great. Real mature Skulduggery. Just go on without even listening. _

She reaffirmed herself and stood still where the car used to be.

If he wanted to act like a child he could.

She huffed and puffed, but she calmed herself down. It wasn't over. Skulduggery had to talk to her sometime.

This however didn't stop her from being upset. Though she felt justified about her actions she didn't exactly enjoy making Skulduggery unhappy.

She took out her phone and dialled for Tanith but she stopped. She didn't feel like talking to anyone really. She just wanted things to past quickly so she could explain everything to Skulduggery. Then everything would fall into place. Happily Ever After. Or whatever you wanted to call it.

She felt a tear leak from the corner of an eye. Surprised she brushed it away. She didn't cry... well most of the time she didn't.

With a final sigh she put her hands in her pockets and walked to her motorbike. It was time to clear her head. She put the key in the ignition and her helmet on her head... when she saw a whip of blonde hair shadily slip into the entrance of the Sanctuary.

Valkyrie jumped into action. At least this would take things off her mind. She raced into the Sanctuary again looking for Dismal but saw no one.

People looked at her curiously at her sudden arrival. One that Valkyrie noticed in particular was a redhead that looked anxious at her arrival and quickly left the room. For a moment her eyes concentrated on the red head but she forced herself to continue scanning the others.

Dismal was an expert at escaping and apparently at breaking in as well. Seeing as Valkyrie had failed to catch her twice now she decided not to alert her. Besides if she could track Dismal then she might be able to find what exactly she wanted.

"I'll follow her, you alert the security and meet up" she whispered but only when she looked over her shoulder she realised the usual tall thin figure was nowhere to be seen. She casted a look down to her feet.

"Is there something you need help with Miss Cain?" said Jimmy front desk guy. He was surprised as everyone else on her sudden entrance.

Her eyes snapped up again and she forced a pleasant smile.

"No Jimmy. And it's just Val, remember?" she said and followed the footsteps of Dismal.

When she made her way through the first corridor she could still see the whip of red hair, but the next time she had nothing left to follow. Valkyrie used Skulduggery's technique of sensing the ripples in the air to find recent movement.

_There_ she thought and continued to make her way.

From then on she would often sense the ripples in the air to find where Dismal had gone.

Left here.

Right.

Left.

Left again.

But after the first five turns she didn't need to check the air ripples.

_She's going to see Eris_.

As she reached the holding cell she quietened her foot steps into silence. The glass door was closed and through it she could see the normal blonde version of Dismal standing, stoned face. Her lips moved but Valkyrie couldn't hear.

She moved her fingers disturbing the air from inside the room and bringing it to her ears.

"-can't do this without knowing" Dismal voice came to her ears.

"But what are you trying to achieve Lisa?" questioned Eris, her voice sounded distressed and worried, "Do you think any of this would change anything at all?"

"You said! You said it yourself, if someone could harness the power it would be possible!" retorted Dismal.

"But it isn't possible!" Valkyrie heard Eris stand up, "You can't harness that sort of power! No one can, you'll go crazy!"

"Then all these years what have you been training me for!" demanded Dismal, "You're so talented Lisa. I've never seen anyone grasp magic like this Lisa. Maybe you could restart the bloodline one day. All of that, year after year after year! You want me to do this as much as I want it!"

"Lower your voice!" Eris said in a firm whisper, "There may not be cleavers outside my door but there are people everywhere"

"I put a barrier. No one outside this room can hear us" Dismal replied.

_But make the air come out of the room I can still hear you just fine_ though Valkyrie.

"Listen Lisa" said Eris softly, "Whatever I said, I never meant to lead you to do this. It's not right"

"And everything that they did was wrong with trying to make things right?"

Eris didn't reply to this.

"When I started to learn magic, I could wait to enter the magic world. All the things you told me. Sorcerers, vampires, zombies, a whole world I dreamt of when I was younger. And I came into it and everyone hated me. I was treated like dirt when they found out what I was. And then I saw how everyone else treated you"

Eris was silent still.

"I'm doing this for us. To change the way they see us"

"You can't force people to change their minds" Eris commented finally.

"Do you have a better idea? Or do you want to live be treated as scum for the rest of your life? Do you want to re-enter the magic society without being scorned? Don't you want to be justified?"

"Of course I do- Just not like this" Eris said quickly, "It's too risky..."

Valkyrie heard sounds as if Eris sat back down, followed by sounds of Dismal kneeling.

"I can't do it. If I have you on my side I can do it. You know I can" Dismal said gently.

Valkyrie waited impatiently for Eris' answer.

"...I can't..."

Valkyrie sighed a sigh of relief.

Dismal stood up.

"I see"

Footsteps. Valkyrie prepared to hide herself from sight.

"Please Lisa" Eris begged suddenly, "Don't do this"

"I can do it. I'll prove it to you. Watch me" Valkyrie could hear her determination.

For a moment Valkyrie felt pity on Dismal. From what she had heard the treatment of witches hadn't sound fair at all and she could see Dismals reasoning, but Valkyrie had a job and she intended to do it.

She moved back to the corridor before and waited with her back to the wall.

_Come on, let's do this_.

She breathed in slowly as she heard Dismal open the door.

_Shouldn't you have called Skulduggery?_

Valkyrie froze, surprised at her thinking.

_He's your partner isn't he? Rejected or not he should be hear with you. You should've contacted him the moment you saw Dismal_.

Valkyrie frowned and cast the idea aside.

_I'll be fine. It's just one witch, in a building full of people that hate her. What could possibly go wrong?_

She could hear the footsteps, slow and calm... but not going her way.

Valkyrie entered the corridor again and saw Dismal as the redhead that she entered as walked in the opposite direction of which she came.

_But there's no exit in that direction_.

At times like these Valkyrie remembered why there weren't any solo missions assigned to people in the Sanctuary. When a target was heading somewhere you didn't know it was always a good thing to have to people. If one person was caught the other could still be relied on.

Far too conscious of the fact that Skulduggery wasn't there with her, she followed behind quietly.

Dismal suddenly stopped and Valkyrie went dead silent, but the witch only carefully took out a talisman out of her back pocket and held it ready by her side.

She took a short breath in and continued to follow.

Valkyrie noticed as time went by her hair got fairer and less frizzy until it turned back to the original straight blonde that Dismal wore. At this point Dismal stopped again and whispered something softly, sending it back into the mass of red once more.

_Where is she going_? Valkyrie couldn't pin point Dismal's thoughts but the witch knew exactly where she was going, through sharp turns and through doors which were filled with people but not one person seemed to know that she was there. They all passed her as if she was invisible.

_Why haven't you called Skulduggery yet? You should have by now. He's your partner. You're the one that's acting like a child. _Said the voice from before.

_I. Have. This. Covered. _She told herself.

Dismal entered a room which Valkyrie just managed just to catch the door marked, 'AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY'

_Funny, I thought all doors labelled like that were made to only let the authorised personnel in... this witch thing seems to be able to do a lot. _

Valkyrie let the door fell to let everything seem normal to Dismal. She kept walking forward, like she did before... like she did before... nobody acts that emotionless, especially if they were about to overtake the magic world.

Valkyrie turned around but it was too late. Dismal hands clasped around her throat.

"Nice to meet you" she said, her voice like ice, "Miss Cain isn't it? Where's your skeleton friend"

She dug her nails into Valkyrie's neck even harder.

"I know he's here somewhere, and he better know that one wrong move and your head will have a hard time balancing on that pretty little body of yours when you don't have a neck" she threatened.

Valkyrie couldn't help but laugh. Low and sadistic. She had anger boiling in her from the past personal events and this was finally her chance to unleash it.

"He's not here" she said struggling to pull off a smug smile.

"Oh really? What's wrong you two have a lovers spat?"

"Actually-"

"Either way, I'll reduce you and that skeleton into ash"

_Now._

Valkyrie kicked at Dismals heels who cried out in pain.

Valkyrie went to kicked her in the face but her foot met a hard invisible wall, and her foot cracked violently. She stumbled back and fell.

"Witch craft has its advantages Miss Cain" commented Dismal, "Far better than your common elemental magic"

Valkyrie screamed and threw a fire ball at her face but it hit the same invisible wall.

Dismal laughed at her failure.

Valkyrie screamed again and put her hands together letting her fingers flare.

A dragon of fire burst forth in a long stream circling Dismal, it squeezed tighter and tighter until that invisible wall shattered, Valkyrie could hear it shatter.

Dismal yelled but she put up a casing around the fire, cutting off the oxygen and reducing it to nothing.

_No water tricks?_ Valkyrie thought.

She threw another fire ball and Dismal did the same, encasing it to not allow the oxygen in.

_She can't do elemental magic_ she realised, _of course, all magic has a flaw... plus how unfair would it be if she could do elemental magic and all the rest too._

Valkyrie struggled to stand, groaning at the intense pain in her foot.

Dismal looked slightly concerned that Valkyrie now knew her dark secret which made Valkyrie smile.

_Time for tables to turn_

Valkyrie pushed forward on her good foot swinging in one arm with a ball of fire and the other with a hardened fist.

Dismal moved her hands to protect herself from the fire, but rather than burning she received a hard blow to her jaw. She yelled but her breath was cut short with an uppercut to her stomach that winded her. Dismal fell over but Valkyrie wasn't done with her yet.

As she fell, Valkyrie fell on the palm of her hand swinging herself to kick Dismal legs as she fell disabling her from landing safety as her legs flayed into air and the back of her head landed on the ground with a smack.

Pushing herself back up Valkyrie stood triumphantly over her victim.

"Playtimes over Dismal" she said with a cruel smile. She listened to the door to hear rushing footsteps.

"Over here! Get this door open!" came shouts from the other side.

"Looks like you're in for it too" she commented as Dismal tried to gather herself.

The banging on the door was getting louder and Valkyrie moved and opened the door.

"Easy Gentlemen it's been taken care of" she said to a senior sorcerer with a squad of cleavers to follow.

They entered grabbing Dismal and handcuffing her. For a moment Valkyrie wondered if they would work against her witchcraft but then she dismissed it.

_It doesn't matter, she can't escape the whole Sanctuary _she though forgetting that she had done it once before.

They took her away Dismal giving her a hard bitter look and Valkyrie sighed sitting down to rest her foot.

She looked up again to see Dismal again, to see Dismal pull out another talisman out of her back pocket delicately.

"Wait!" she shouted but it was too late.

There was a monstrous crack as if the roof had split into two and a blinding light covered her gaze.

Valkyrie tried to moved but she was struck down by something large and heavy and fell back down, her vision gone.

Though she could not see anything she could hear things moments after. Her name being called out in different voices, in different tones of concern but they were all the same and didn't seem to exactly reach her though she could hear them... they didn't actually reach her.

"Valkyrie? Valkyrie answer me?" a woman's tone... someone she knew for a long time... like a sister... an older sister...

"Valkyrie, listen you're going to be alright we're going to get you through this, Tanith and I are here, you're going to be okay" another familiar voice... a man's... warm but firm...

And then a whisper...

"valkyrie"

Her eyes shot open and she sat up grasping for the bone hands as if she somehow knew exactly where they were.

She gasped loudly almost grinding her fingers into the skeleton man's ribcage. But he stood there motionless.

"Skulduggery" she breathed out, still putting pieces together. He unstuck her hands from himself and lay them by her side. This hurt her heart more that her body was hurting right now.

"You're alright. Luckily a hole through the roof brings people's attention pretty quickly. They found you in time"

Still hurt Valkyrie bit her lip and silently nodded. Skulduggery was also silent, hands just by the hospital bed that she was laid down on.

Valkyrie thought if this had happened just a month before she'd be commented on how thin hospital gowns were and how additional warmth would be wanted. But she was far too aware that this wasn't a month ago, and just not too long ago she had rejected a proposal.

"What on earth were you doing"?" asked Skulduggery, she could hear the anger.

"What?"

"I'm asking you. What the hell were you doing, taking on Dismal like that?"

Valkyrie laughed in disbelief.

"Well, my job I guess" she answered straining her voice to be heard, her chest hurt like hell.

"You know better to take on someone that has escaped from both of us twice alone"

"Well maybe I would've had back up if _someone _hadn't driven away in rage on the job!"

"Well you could've called me!"

"Oh and like you would've picked up your phone!"

"Well Tanith and Ghastly could've helped you"

"Stop making excuses! You should've been there and you damn well know it! You damn well freaking know it Skulduggery!"

Valkyrie bit her lip and braced herself as she lay back straight on the bed. Wincing as she did so Skulduggery's cool bone fingers slid behind her back, easing her back.

_Don't touch me with those gentle fingers if you won't listen to what I have to say _she soundlessly spoke.

Skulduggery's hands went back to his sides.

"How long have I been asleep?" Valkyrie asked.

"Four days"

"Dismal's gone?"

"There's been a spotting of her but that was two days ago. Eris' is now helping us track her done"

"Why?" 

"... I guess she loves her daughter. And even when you disagree with someone you love you want to keep them safe" 

"So we'll be back on the case as soon as I get out of this bed?" she said.

"No, you'll stay in recovery. I'll work with Eris to catch Dismal"

"What! No! This is my bloody case! I'm your bloody partner!" she shout about to sit up. Skulduggery put a hand on her tummy pushing her back down.

"You were hit in the head by a piece of concrete and other bits of rubble hit you as well. You won't be okay for a while"

"No! Skulduggery! Don't do this. You know me! I won't stand for this!"

"Looks like that concrete hit your head harder than we thought"

"Fuck it Skulduggery I'm serious!" she yelled. Skulduggery froze.

"Valkyrie your injured" he said low and seriously, "You can't do this one"

"And maybe I wouldn't be if you had stayed and listened to me!"

"I'll listen to whatever you have to say after the case. We'll figure things out then and sort our mistakes then"

"After all I guess _I'm_ only human" she said without thinking.

Skulduggery was silent.

_Oh shit._

"Skulduggery I didn't mean-"

"Get better soon Valkyrie"

"Skulduggery wait. Listen to me please, I didn't mean it" she said sitting up.

Skulduggery started to walk away.

"Skulduggery please- I'm sorry"

But he was gone.

**A/N: Sorry for taking four weeks. I would have excuses but the fact is this... I am a lazy bastard.**

**Anyways, I was distracted with another series I love. Can I hear a woop woop from anyone else that love the new season of Young Dracula on CCBC! (silence in the room) **

**...anyway blame that for distracting me. **


	5. Chapter 5

Skulduggery walked to Eris' holding cell with a mission. Feeling depressed and dejected as ever but nevertheless with a purpose.

_Such stirring emotions_ mused Skulduggery _Maybe I should write poetry. Ah yes I can see it now_.

He walked to the cell with valour

Right on the dot of the hour

He opened the door

Nodded his head

His chivalry bright like a flower.

"Skulduggery" she said awed by the scene.

His radiance so bright that he gleamed.

But unknown to all

The weight on his heart

Was greater than it'd ever been.

"Eris" he greeted in answer.

His competence must've imp-

"Stop narrating your life in poetry Skulduggery" Eris interrupted and Skulduggery was immediately pulled out of his daydream.

"How did you know" Skulduggery questioned intrigued.

"You nodded your head to the rhythm of the poem" Eris answered unamused.

"Funny you'd think I'd notice that" he commented, hoping that Eris wouldn't sense his weakness.

He looked in her eyes for something but they stayed blank.

"So I'm guessing you didn't take Valkyrie's rejection that well" she suddenly stated.

"I knew it" said Skulduggery pointing a bony finger, "I knew it! Of course the woman named as the Goddess of Discord and Destruction had something to do with it!"

"You should listen to her you know"

"No Eris. I am not taking your advice. Look where your advice has already gotten Valkyrie and I in" he rebuked. He was angry, very angry this time, he folded his arms and leaned against the wall.

"Fine, be that way then" Eris replied. Skulduggery put his head down holding his forehead in a hand. 

"Good. Let's get on with this" he started and then gave another glance to make sure she was serious about dropping the subject. She gave him one f her emotionless faces which made him even angrier, swirling inside of his bones desperate to be let out and taken out on someone, something, anything really. But he remembered and his mood softened.

_I stripped myself of my emotion when I was young _he remembered Eris telling him so many years ago, _I couldn't deal with the pain. I couldn't watch my mother disappearing before my eyes. I couldn't _live _any longer. But I was- I'm just so _angry_ I couldn't kill myself. And when I finally wanted to feel again I- I couldn't bring the emotions back entirely. I'm sorry Skulduggery... I'm sorry I can't love you like I want to..._

Finally Skulduggery took his eyes of his own problems. Here was his friend, his once lover trying to save the one person she had managed to love. And somewhere in a hospital room (probably trying to escape by now if she hadn't yet succeeded) was the woman he loved, desperate to talk to him though he had been too stubborn to listen.

"Skulduggery?" Eris' voice called him back to reality.

"I realised why you want to save your daughter so much" he answered.

"Took you a while"

Skulduggery looked at her. Only two people could tell when Skulduggery was smiling though he couldn't show it, one was Eris and the other was Valkyrie.

"I even failed to notice how much life you had in you when I saw you"

"She's my daughter Skulduggery. Please help me get her back" Eris begged.

Skulduggery remembered his own love for his child.

"Don't worry Eris. We'll get her back"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Valkyrie repeated the mantra in her head.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. NOW.

Valkyrie flipped herself off her bed, palms out in front to make her landing softer with a cushion of air. She still met the floor with a rather rough greeting and quickly put her hand to her mouth to silence the groan of pain.

She rolled onto her side feeling like every part of her body was shouting at her to just stay in the bed and let Skulduggery deal with all the problems.

_Damn Skulduggery. Damn you for not teaching me flying yet, then I could get out of here without having to force my body to move. Damn you for not listening to me. Damn you for not letting me come. When I see you I'm going to snap your freaking fibula in half and snap you phalanges off one by one. DO YOU FREAKING HEAR ME!_

There was no way she was going to let Skulduggery let her rot in a bed while he took care of their mission. She was going get out there and help them, God dammit.

_All I need is some pain killers and one of those magic healing thingys and I'll be brand spanking new and Skulduggery knows that._

She crawled on her stomach army style, cursing Skulduggery with every movement she made.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Skulduggery walked briskly with Eris at his side. She walked with her expressionless face again, her worry for her daughter causing her to relapse to old habits.

"You okay there?" he asked.

"Yes" she answered like a robot, not even glancing at him. Skulduggery kept looking at her as she pulled herself back into her human personality.

"I'm fine" she nodded reaffirming it to herself as much as to him. Skulduggery looked forward when he could notice visible anxiety in her face again.

What Eris had said to Valkyrie was the truth, Skulduggery had been the first person to make her feel human in a long time when she had first met him. His care for her had broken down the wall she had created for herself. But the pain that she felt for her daughter was making her want to rebuild that wall, lock herself in the shadows and forget. But not this time. This time she was going to fight for the things she loved.

"You're familiar should be here" Skulduggery said as they turned into a room full of cages. These cages were filled with exotic creatures that had been tampered magically with. Hawks with rainbow beaks, a monkey with four arms and one that disturbed Eris greatly, a fish which swam in the air looking at her with bulging eyes.

"I didn't know the Sanctuary experimented on animals" she said. Skulduggery shook his head.

"They don't. These are animals that we got from the Black Market. Sorcerers have been tampering with them lately and we don't know what to do with them now" he answered smoothly.

They walked amongst the cages and at this point Eris was close enough to find her familiar. She weaved through odd creatures and found.

"Mr. Whiskers" she said when she found him.

_Oh finally I've on been rotting in here for what a week? Honestly you're a horrible witch to do this to your familiar. Just let them lock me up in a cage, with the company of a parrot that barks and reading dog and forget about me _said Mr. Whiskers.

"Ah there's the infernal cat. I have an Armani suit that is in shreds thanks to that trouble maker" Skulduggery said when he joined them.

_Tell that idiotic pile of bones that the suit was wasted on him _hissed Mr. Whiskers.

Eris rolled her eyes and crept her fingers through the bars of the cage touching Mr. Whiskers' forehead. She felt the warmth of magic flow into her and through her veins, filling her with strength again. She felt a bit more like herself than she had when she was apart from him.

"Well that's that" she said brightly.

_I'm still in this cage you silly witch, how do you expect to win over that mindless daughter of yours without me._

As if he could actually hear Mr. Whiskers talk, though this was not so, Skulduggery bent down and unlocked the cage. Mr. Whisker jumped into Eris' arms gracefully.

"Shall we go save the world then?" asked Skulduggery.

"Not yet" Eris replied, "I need to make talismans and store as much magic as I can. Mr. Whiskers probably has more information than I do about Lisa's plan"

"The cat?"

_The cat. Just the cat. Makes sense that the Skeleton's an idiot, he has no brains for goodness sake._

"Mr. Whiskers often talks to Lisa's familiar. Ever since she ran away I got Mr. Whiskers to find out everything through questioning it" Eris answered.

_Goldfish are so stupid it's sad_.

"Well then" Skulduggery said, "Let's get to it"

Eris looked at Mr. Whiskers in her arms whose yellow eyes stared back at hers.

"Let's do it"

****

_Shit. Shit. Crap. Oh God that burns. Shit. Shit. Fuck. Shit. _

Valkyrie was lowering herself into a bath tub that she had filled with healing medicine. Of course she had to take out a doctor to get to it but he would only wake up with a large lump on his head.

Her muscles gave in and she fell into the tub, water splashed out and onto the floor. Her head sunk in the water and she quickly brought herself back up to breathe again, gasping in the air.

Gradually the process to effect. Her muscles relaxed, her splitting headache disappeared. It would help if the water was warm but this tub was ice cold. She didn't have time to be in there for too long.

She let herself soak for another five minutes and then stepped out of the bath tub with ease. She shook herself out of the soaked hospital gown and into a complementary bathrobe on the racks next to the tub.

_Clothes I need clothes_.

Valkyrie thought. Her locker in the Sanctuary didn't have clothes in it but Skulduggery's did.

_Shouldn't be too hard to break into that_.

****

"Wait, so Dismal was never interested in the records she stole?" Skulduggery asked, for the fourth time wondering why he was talking to a cat.

_Yes_ said Mr. Whiskers, he made himself audible to both of them, _Miss Lisa used that as a cover up to investigate the Sanctuary and load the place with talismans, also if you thought she was just trying to find out about her past_ he looked at Eris _You would let her go, even help her out a bit. Which you did._

"And you didn't tell me this why?" Eris questioned.

Mr. Whiskers cocked his head a little.

_She wanted to change the minds of the Sanctuary and the magic world so Witches could practice as they did hundreds of years ago. I saw no problem with that. _

"So she's planning to control all the minds of the Magic world. Lisa should know better than that" Eris replied quickly.

Mr. Whiskers shook his head and Eris smiled at Skulduggery's amazement to see a cat actually shake their head.  
><em><br>The idiot of a Goldfish was saying something about a power boost. If Lisa didn't want to find any information at the Sanctuary then she must be planning to do something fairly known in witchcraft._

"Something that would've been done when the Witches first tried to overthrow the Sanctuary" Eris continued and looked at Skulduggery.

"But what?" Skulduggery asked returning the gaze.

_I need to look at the talismans she planted _ Mr. Whiskers said and they both looked at the cat's twinkling eyes.

_What ever she is planning to do I'll find out through them_.

****

Valkyrie made the third fold in the pants that she had taken from Skulduggery's locker. She had managed to find a storeroom filled with storage boxes but conveniently had a mirror as well.

_How tall is he really? I don't think I've ever measured him_.

The shirt's sleeves were too long for her to wear as well so she scrunched them up as far as they would go.

Valkyrie looked back at the pile of clothes she had taken and after a second thought put on the hat. She looked back at it once again, remembering that she was only wearing a white shirt without any of her unmentionables.

She took the jacket from the pile.

"Skulduggery loves this jacket but I'm sure if he still likes me the littlest bit he wouldn't want everybody to see me in a flimsy shirt" she said and put it on looking at her reflection.

She giggled a little and posed putting her hands in the pocket of the jacket. Bits of paper touched her fingers. She gingerly pulled it out.

It was small, slightly crumpled as if it had been held often but it made her cry instantly.

A small picture of her and Skulduggery when she was seventeen. She could tell by the rugged haircut she had in the picture which Skulduggery commented seemed like an earthquake happened when she got it done.

_I love you. I have for longer than I've let on._ The words echoed in her head as she remembered his words.

Skulduggery wasn't the type to keep obvious trinkets on him to represent a friendship.

"Seven years" she said out loud, "You idiot Skulduggery. You stupid idiot"

Valkyrie failed to stop the tears that ran down. How many boys did she go through in those seven years, while all that time Skulduggery only looked at her? How much did he hurt when he saw her with all those men? Valkyrie was never one to be shy about anything. Each time she kissed or hugged someone in front of him he probably was narrating his life in poetry as he went by.

She wiped her nose careful not to damage the picture and slipped it back in the pocket.

With one more sniffle she kicked a storage box, it crashed and fell into another and the whole pile toppled over.

"Shit" she said but it came out strange with her voice all choked. Not knowing why she was cleaning up the mess she had made she stacked the boxes on top of each other. The last one she picked up had a piece of paper stuck on the top.

"That's strange it doesn't look like a label" she spoke her thoughts, "But I've seen that paper somewhere before"

She brushed her fingers over the paper and recollected. Her memories flashed.

A whisp of titanium blonde hair.

"A talisman? But why would this be here?" she asked herself.

Valkyrie reached out for the small slip of paper.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"What is with your insanely sophisticated cat?" Skulduggery whispered to Eris.

They had found a planted talisman in a bathroom corner and Mr. Whiskers was hunched on the toilet seat inspecting the blank piece of paper.

"He's a millennium years old Skulduggery don't disrespect your elders" Eris replied.

_I'm very powerful too so don't underestimate me _Mr. Whiskers commented without raising his head. He put a black paw on the paper in concentration.

_You should also be thankful that I'm helping, I wouldn't mind if Lisa did succeed_.

"So then why are you helping us?"

_Seeing this talisman and seeing what she plans to do I know she won't. In that case I don't want another war waged against the Witches._

Mr. Whiskers looked at them with soulful eyes.

_Or on my kind..._

There was a moment of silence as Skulduggery looked back in those large cat eyes.

Mr. Whiskers looked back at the parchment.

_Sucker. Did you really believe that?_

Eris laughed at Skulduggery fury. He went forward to snatch the parchment but Mr. Whiskers hissed and scratched.

_Neither of you can touch this! _His voice was loud in their heads filled with a vicious snarl.

_She's implanted a basic binding spell in these talismans, if any of you touch this she'll be able to bind you as a familiar._ _I'm already a familiar so she can't bind me._

"She's planning to get power by binding humans then" Skulduggery concluded.

"Magic people really, people like you and Valkyrie have a large amount of magical energy in them if she makes some like that a familiar she'll have a large amount of magical energy at her disposal" Eris informed.

_We need to find the other talismans. Only I'll be able to disable them_. As he said it the paper started to burn, glowing red hot and disappearing into black ash.

The three walked out of the bathroom ignoring the awkward looks from passerby and Skulduggery swiftly apologised to the man relieved to finally go to the toilet.

"I'll need to scry to find the other talismans. We'll need to get rid of all the other talismans before anybody touches them" Eris told Skulduggery as she picked up Mr. Whiskers who purred softly in her arms.

Skulduggery followed them as they walked but something made him stop. He turned around and saw a suited figure at the end of the corridor with their head down. The suit was familiar and so was the hat.

"Valkyrie" Skulduggery said certain it was her, he was always able to tell her apart from a crowd.

He walked towards her and Eris stopped at turned around as well.

"Valkyrie what are you doing here, you're supposed to be in a bed" he said getting closer.

Eris took a look at Valkyrie and then a reaffirming look at Mr. Whiskers.

"Skulduggery don't get any closer"

"Valkyrie are you listening to me?" he said without hearing. He put a hand on her shoulder.

Red eyes flashed up at him. 


	6. Chapter 6

The red eyed Valkyrie put a hand on Skulduggery's shoulder. Skulduggery felt his bones shatter and with a loud crack he was sent flying backwards. He hit a walled crumpled to lessen the impact. He looked up and saw Eris with an amulet clutched in her hand glowing yellow, a look at her eyes showed that her eyes had changed the same yellow of Mr. Whiskers. Mr. Whiskers also glowed with yellow energy and rather than a small black cat had changed into a giant black panther with teeth flaring.

Skulduggery looked at the pair of them surprised. Eris looked back at him with a smile.

"What? You thought he was only a little house cat?" she asked mockingly. Mr. Whiskers growled in agreement.

Eris looked forward at Valkyrie who was walking toward them looking like a wild animal.

The yellow from the amulet started to disappear draining itself into Eris' body until she glowed dimly yellow.

"_Morsus_" she spoke quietly with a hand outstretched at Valkyrie.

The red eyed girl fell to the ground clutching her body and screaming in pain. Skulduggery watched as his heart broke, the red eyes looked at him with her voice and her voice rang inside his skull. She reached out a hand him pleading.

Eris stood her face calm and raised her hand a second time.

"_Expugno_" she enchanted and Valkyrie still screaming hands flung behind her back her body lay straight and she struggled to move.

Skulduggery fixed his shoulder and looked at her with empty sockets.

"Please" he begged, "Don't put her in pain".

Eris looked curiously back at him and shrugged.

"_Concedo Morsus_"

Valkyrie's body relaxed and she panted rolling over onto her side.

Skulduggery rushed over to her side.

"Don't touch her" Eris warned, "We don't know what Lisa might have put on her"

Skulduggery looked at the red eyes which stared softly back at him.

"Sku- Skulduggery" Valkyrie whimpered softly, "Help me"

_Don't listen to her. Witches can give certain amounts of freedom to their familiars. She hasn't given her any._

"I thought Dismal had a familiar already, why did she take in Valkyrie?" Skulduggery asked.

"Witches can take in as many familiars as they want but the amount of power is dangerous"

_We should unbind her at once. Miss Lisa is draining her magic fast she won't last._

"Can you unbind her?" Skulduggery asked trying to ignore the pleading eyes that still watched him.

"I love you" Valkyrie breathed out, "Help me... I love you"

"_Placidus_" Eris whispered. Valkyrie's mouth still moved but no sound came out and Skulduggery could still see her repeat the empty words. He looked away from her.

"Normally the Witch that bound her is the only one that can break a binding contract. But it can be done" Eris explained.

"But I'm not going to let you" came a strangers voice.

Skulduggery looked behind them to see Dismal standing there.

"That girl is a strong one. She has ancient magic running through her veins, so you don't have to be afraid I won't exhaust her. I'll give her enough freedom so she can live" Dismal told them.

Skulduggery looked back at the broken down Valkyrie who was still mouthing 'I love you' at him.

Skulduggery then looked at Dismal. If he had eyes they would be flaming now. He stood up and readjusted his hat and tie.

Spreading both hands out they began to burn with fire ruining his sleeves but he didn't care.

This girl was going to get what was coming to her.

Dismal smiled and raised her arms as well starting to glow red.

Skulduggery prepared himself.

"Careful skeleton" she warned, "I don't fight fair"

As she said the from either side of the corridor poured out other people all bearing the same red eyes.

"You might not want to exert me too much" she told him, "If I run out of energy I might just take one of their life sources"

Skulduggery straightened and relaxed his bones.

"Alright" he said. He looked back at Mr. Whiskers. "How long will it take for you to unbind Valkyrie?"

The black panther stared into his sockets.

_Too long. She's valuable, Lisa has her strongly bonded to keep her as a familiar it also looks like she didn't give up without a fight she had to tie the bonds strongly. It would be a better idea if I unbind the others to lessen their numbers to stop her. _

"You handle that with Skulduggery then" Eris said taking her stance, "I'll deal with Lisa"

Lisa laughed taking step forward and started to walk as she did a circle formed with a ring of red fire appeared.

"What are you going to do Mummy?" Lisa asked mockingly, "Hurt your precious little daughter?"

Eris stepped forward joining the circle walking on its edges with yellow eyes meeting red eyes. They both walked circling each other while the fire split into both red and yellow flames.

"I'll give you one more chance Lisa, the power is destroying you. Unbind these people and walk away" Eris said with a hard face, but it softened as she added, "I don't want you to get hurt"

Dismal laughed coldly at her mother's face.

"Come on mother, where is the old Eris who wanted to destroy just like I did. Where is the mother who named herself after the goddess of Destruction and Discord? She's gone and this weak you won't hurt her beloved daughter" Dismal taunted.

Eris' face was visibly irritated after this but she returned a threatening smile.

"The you right now, is not my daughter" she replied calmly.

Dismal eyebrows furrowed and she snarled.

The next thing Skulduggery saw was a clashed of both red and yellow flames consuming the circle. He looked back at Mr. Whiskers for instructions.

_Don't enter the circle, you'll die... well in your case cease to be anything at all. You need to help me unbind them. Just knock them unconscious and I'll do the rest. _

Skulduggery looked at the crowd of people on the other side of the flaming circle and then back at Valkyrie who ever since Dismal and Eris started their battle had been whimpering.

_The sooner we unbind them the sooner we unbind her, now quickly make a start!_ Mr. Whiskers ordered with a loud growl.

Skulduggery made his way around the circle people the large group of people all with the same red eyes. He glanced at the people he saw, they ranged from tall, short, skinny and fat, male and female. Faces he recognised and faces which hadn't been bothered to remember. They edged towards him hungry for his demise. Mr. Whiskers joined him standing by his side baring his teeth.

Skulduggery leapt as they pounced but the magic he used let him jump over their heads. As he flew in the air he rested his has on two familiars heads and let out a large air impact on their skulls. He landed on the ground both hands outstretched to do the same to another two that ran to him while the past two fell to the ground.

Skulduggery watched the terrifying red eyes run towards him as he unleashed hell.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Move. Move. Move._ Valkyrie chanted in her head, from the corner of her eye she could see the flames of red and yellow and beyond that the beloved silhouette of her Skeleton wreaking havoc on other familiars.

She screamed in her mind trying to overcome Dismals voice, whispering to her like a dark possessor.

_Give me your power Valkyrie... Give me your ancient power... Give it all to me..._

Other than the constant beat of Dismal's voice in her head Valkyrie could feel two other spells on her. She wasn't able to move and nobody could hear her. Eris had put these spells on her with the best intentions but Valkyrie wasn't going to be able to free herself of Dismal if she was all bound up.

_Concentrate_ she told herself _Concentrate. You have powerful magical blood in your veins Valkyrie. You can break a witches spell_.

She breathed in slowly trying to calm down her heart rate.

_Concentrate. Concentrate. Concentrate._

Her voice was overpowering Dismals now. She scrunched her eyes focusing on her own magic, separating it from Dismals.

Her eyes flicked open and a sudden audible scream came out of her mouth.

She broke the first spell.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Skulduggery tried to look beyond the flames when he heard the familiar scream but he felt a force hit him back against the wall. A cleaver with a scythe in hand had knocked him down using the rear end of his weapon.

There was no time to see what was wrong with Valkyrie, he stood up to fight the Cleaver. Skulduggery ducked as the deadly scythe was swung towards him. He threw out a palm hitting the Cleaver square in the chest but they didn't bugged.

The Cleaver motioned to swing again aiming to decapitate his victim. Skulduggery backed away the scythe missing him but shredding his tie apart. Faintly annoyed Skulduggery prepared himself for the next attack.

A glancing blow intending to split Skulduggery apart from top to bottom and straight down the middle. This time he did not dodge or duck but caught the scythe between his bony hands right about his head.

Skulduggery couldn't boast about his muscle power having no muscles and all but that didn't leave him totally defenceless. Strong towers of air pressure reinforced his arms and hands to keep them up but still the Cleaver was strong and trying harder by the second.

Skulduggery knowing he wouldn't last long in this unsuiting position lifted his knee straight into the Cleavers groin who stumbled. His grip on the scythe failing Skulduggery took it from his hands and whacked him on the side of the head with the least deadly part.

The Cleaver fell to the ground unconscious.

Skulduggery tried to look back again for Valkyrie but Dismal's troops kept on coming.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Valkyrie groaned as her voice came back to her and found that she could roll over on her side but her legs remained firmly clamped and her hands tied behind her back in the invisible bondages.

_Again_ she told herself.

Dismal's voice in her head was still there but getting ever so faint.

She scrunched her eyes, her mind exploding in the concentration and power she was yielding in her brain.

She visualised it first the bonds snapping from her hands and legs, picturing herself being freed.

_Now will it to be so. Come on Valkyrie use your willpower_.

She groaned and screamed trying to pull her hands apart from each other first. She could feel the invisible handcuffs as she struggled cutting into her skin but that couldn't stop her.

_Break you piece of shit! Break!_ She screamed out loud but she didn't realise it.

With another howl she felt her hands snap apart soon followed by feet.

Rolling over on her stomach she breathed in and out heavily. Carefully she brought herself on her knees her body still recovering from the recent strains.

Exhausted she smiled please with her efforts but determined to get out there and help. She brought herself to a stand position but her legs buckled and she dell on the wall falling down again.

She picked herself up using the wall for support still as she slowly regained her strength.

A moment later she managed to stand on her own two feet legs apart to help her remain stable. She looked up to see the circle of red and yellow fire. Squinting she managed to see two shadowing figures in the flames. Each time these figures made contact there would be a crash as loud as thunder and light burst forth from the fire. Valkyrie shielded her eyes and ears from this violent clash.

After recovering from the shelling of light and noise Valkyrie looked up again beyond the flames. She didn't need to think twice to know who was there.

She immediately stepped forward, compelled to him as she had always been. She wasn't sure whether Skulduggery would appreciate her saying this but she always thought he was beautiful. But ever since she met him the was that constant binding towards him. Pulling her ever so close like a magnet. And unlike her previous bondage this one she didn't really mind to succumb to.

_Where do you think you're going?_

The voice was in her head but it was not hers.

_You're my familiar still, or did you forget that?_

Valkyrie froze fear crawling down her spine and sweeping into her skin.

_Well done in breaking those spells woman. But you can't have your break just yet. I need your help._

Controlled by this voice Valkyrie stepped forward not towards Skulduggery's bearing but towards the circle of fire.

_Come on I don't have all day._

She felt as if a rope had suddenly fastened itself around her waist leading her into the fire.

"Valkyrie!" the voice called to her but she couldn't run to it as she wished to.

_Come!_ A heavy unseeable weight pushed her forward as the rope tugged her and before she could yell in protest her vision was incapacitated with the flames before her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"NO!" Skulduggery shouted a useless hand reaching out for Valkyrie as she disappeared into the flames. Focusing again Skulduggery knocked out the next opponent in the crowd, but there were many left and his magic was tiring.

He hurriedly fought wishing to be by Valkyrie's side. The man that was before him now yielded a wooden sword, oriental looking. Without hesitating Skulduggery took it from his hands a knocked him back with a force that could've be slightly excessive.

He held the wooden sword in his hands. He had only ever learnt how to fence European style which even this wooden sword was not suited for. Quickly judging what he could manage with this alien sword he tried it out on another Cleaver that headed his way.

Getting into engarde stance he stepped beating the scythe aside and stabbing the cleaver in the chest with no effect. Again the Cleaver went for the attack.

Skulduggery parried four and struck again this time not aiming for the chest but the head slashing the Cleavers temple. This made him stumble and Skulduggery retreated from fencing style held the sword in both hands and with all his power whacked the Cleavers neck and he fell.

Skulduggery looked ahead. Reinforcement had come. Looking behind him Mr. Whiskers had managed to unbind a number of people, including a few useful Cleavers who were already gain consciousness.

"Keep going, you'll be fine without me" he told him, "I need to save Valkyrie"

_You can't enter that fire! Skulduggery your efforts are much more needed here! _Protested Mr. Whiskers.

Skulduggery shook his head and headed for the circle with only the woman he loved on his mind.

He jumped into the flames as soon as he did he felt a massive wind knock him over a few metres. It felt brittle on his skin as if he was in a sort of sandstorm.

_Skin? _ He though confused and he looked as his hands.

Both scared and amazed he looked at the flesh and skin on his hands. He put a hand on his head to feel the long locks of hair that fell down his face.

"Skulduggery" came a voice and a hand reached on his shoulder. Instantly the flesh and hair disappeared and turned back into the usual bone.

He looked up to see Eris. But not the Eris he had seen in the past few days but an older Eris. Still thin and strong but her face had aged and her hair not as bright as before holding small gray streaks.

She looked down at him and to his surprise she smiled.

"What? Of course I was using a youth spell on me or did you just think I was so wonderful not to look my age?" Eris said jokingly.

Skulduggery stood up and looked at his hands again. Still bone. He had the feeling he had lost something... no not lost... it felt like an old friend had visited him and said hello but the abruptly left_. _Either way it was gone.

He put balled his hands into fist and looked at Eris.

"Where are we?" Skulduggery asked looking at their surroundings. A sandstorm raged in his visions but an invisible globe kept the sand from hitting them.

"A simple magic circle as a fighting ground for Witches. None of our magic can get out to hurt others" she explained but then looked at Skulduggery, "Stuff can get seriously messed up in here though. It's not a reality, it's something the duelling Witches created so it isn't real. The landscape, time and all get warped since it's hard to control"

_Time..._ Skulduggery thought.

"When you found me did you-" he stopped still trying to make sense of it.

"Did I what?" Eris asked curious.

"...never mind. I dated you for a while but there are so many things you never told me about Witches. I feel rather hurt actually" he changed the topic swiftly. Eris didn't notice, she laughed in reply.

"You might've been my boyfriend but you worked for the Sanctuary and thus you were still the _enemy_" she told him.

"Where is Valkyrie?"

"On Lisa's side. As soon as she broke the spells I put on her Dismal took control of her and she came here. Actually I'm rather glad you came in as well" she told him.

Skulduggery looked at her waiting for more.

"I can't beat the both of them" she continued making a sad smile.

"You're asking me to fight my own girlfriend?" he asked.

Eris nodded in reply.

"Well it wouldn't be the first time" he answered which was true enough but he wasn't very confident in his answer.

"Lisa is trying to break the barrier and I'll let her break it. I got to you in time so she doesn't know you're here. You'll be my element of surprise. I'll distract her and you need to get Valkyrie"

"And then?"

"Go as far away as you possibly can. As soon as it is your will to get out of here you'll be transported back. Normally I could defeat Lisa without too much of a hassle but Valkyrie's strong and a Witch's strength is her own and her familiars. Separate them and that bond weakens. You clear on the plan?" Eris ordered.

Skulduggery nodded ready to complete his mandate.

"Ready?" Eris asked lifting her hands to the barrier above.

"Yes" Skulduggery answered.

A thunder crack followed as sand burst into the barrier. Skulduggery could see Dismal lunged towards them in the sand covered distance and so he ran. Through the sand that went into the crevasses of his bone and blinded him. But he pushed on towards the horizon where he could see Valkyrie standing there unaware.

He ran further away to her side planning to get to her from behind.

She didn't notice him her eyes intent on the battle in front of her watching their moves standing poised and ready if her assistance was required.

He sped up in the sand ignoring the fragments that annoyed him so. He was almost behind her. There wasn't going to be any other chance.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Valkyrie stood her mind nothing but the orders from her master. She stood in the sand not caring of the sand that blew in her hair and face, not budging an inch.

By the time she realised someone behind her it was too late.

She turned around and so someone she did not know. Or someone she did. She wasn't sure.

An unfamiliar person with familiar gestures and moves. He ran like someone she knew. And that face. That face she swore she had seen it before.

Maybe in a dream.

Maybe a face that she saw on the street.

Maybe it belonged to someone she did know.

Someone close.

Brown hair slightly curled that fell over shoulders.

Brown eyes, homely and ordinary but looked like magic.

And that voice... that voice that screamed her name...

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Skulduggery noticed that his body had become flesh again but he didn't let it distract him.

He wrapped his arms around her and they both fell on the ground.

For the first time in hundreds of years he could feel his own heart beat.

For the first time in hundreds of years blood pumped in his veins.

And for the first time he felt the heat of Valkyrie's body merge with his own.

Remembering orders he willed himself and Valkyrie back into reality.

The world started to shift around them the sand disappeared as the landscape morphed. The last thing he heard of that reality was the outraged cries of Dismal screaming.

The world became a swirl of colours warm and tangible.

Keeping onto that flesh form he brought Valkyrie face to his, letting her look at him as he was originally.

For a second she looked at him confused but then in wonder.

"Skulduggery" she breathed and he kissed her with his own lips. Deep and pure but full of passion.

He held her in his arms tightly and gasped at the feeling of her hands on his own muscles. The sensation of touch that he had almost forgotten.

_Just this moment God. _He said though he didn't really believe. _Just stop time for this moment_. 

He kissed her again burying fingers in her hair, wanting to be consumed by the feelings he had for this woman.

And then he smiled. A sad smile.

Because he knew the moment had gone.

They stood again in the Sanctuary, the circle of fire in front of them. Valkyrie looked in amazement at Skulduggery who looked at his bone hands once again in a sad memorable way.

Before she could speak he took her hand and led her away. As soon as they found a window Skulduggery brought her out and held her in his arms and they flew.

High into the sky and away from the sanctuary. Valkyrie clutched him tightly not because of the height but Skulduggery could see she was fighting Dismal in her mind, fighting the orders that she had been given.

He took her further away till he didn't even know where they were and gradually her grip loosened till she was perfectly calm.

Then he landed in the country side near a road under a tree where he sat her down and checked her vitals.

She stood with her own power and looked at him then away.

"I'm sorry" she said faintly.

Skulduggery looked at the farm land around them. He could hear a sheep bleating in the distance.

"For what? Ruining my suit? I guess so" Skulduggery said.

"I'm sorry Skulduggery. I never meant to hurt you I love you" Valkyrie said her head down her face covered by locks of dark hair.

Skulduggery brought her close and hugged her. She hugged him back.

"I love you, you're safe now. That is all that matters really" he told her but she sobbed into his chest.

"But you're now ruining another suit you know with your tears" he added. She sobbed more.

"I'll marry you"

"Yes that would probably make up for the two suits"

"I'm serious"

"I don't want to get married" Skulduggery said. This surprised her and she looked up at him with teary eyes.

"What?" she asked beguiled.

"Well not right now anyway" he said, "I rushed you and for that I'm sorry too"

He looked at her tenderly brushing away tears with his fingers.

"But I'll ask you again one day and then you can say yes and then we'll live happily ever after fighting the forces of evil side by side"

"We already do that"

"Are you ruining my little fairytale?" he asked with a fake whimper.

"You may be nice sometimes but you really aren't a gentleman"

"Never will be" he said and pressed his mouth against hers.

They stood there for a moment without moving, enjoying each other's company. When they broke off the kiss they continued to stand in each other's arms.

"You were huma- You were flesh and blood back there" Valkyrie finally brought out the subject. He held onto her a little more tightly.

"A surprising bonus in the mess of everything. Though not likely to happen again, but at least you saw how much of a looker I was in my day and age"

"I think you're still as beautiful"

"Beautiful yes but I prefer words like robust, handsome or even dashing"

"You're despicable"

"But ever so good looking" he said, "We'll talk about my recent espionage as a being with blood pumping through their veins later. But we have others things to deal with"

As if on cue out of thin air a metre away Mr. Whiskers appeared back to the usual cat form.

_It's over_ he told them. And Skulduggery smiled, but of course only Valkyrie could see it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

When they returned the Sanctuary was in shambles. Mr. Whiskers and Eris busily detached Dismal's familiar one by one. Skulduggery made sure they detached Valkyrie first.

During this the elders offered peace with Eris, which she agreed to but wasn't sure why they offered.

Skulduggery and Valkyrie knew why as Ghastly was still an elder. It was easy to convince him to make peace with the Witches and he being the stronghold in the elder group, the others agreed as well.

Dismal was in chains but they would not kill her. Exhausted from the battle and her familiars stripped away from her. The only familiar they couldn't strip, her goldfish, was contained so she couldn't receive magical powers.

"Ironic though isn't it" Skulduggery mentioned, "She wanted witches to be accepted. She didn't win but in the end they were"

Eris stayed with her daughter, telling them that she loved her daughter and that this was just a tantrum. She also mentioned that she hadn't forgiven the Sanctuary yet but also said that maybe in the years to come there would be a different world where Witches could get along with the magical world and thrive as before.

And there was Skulduggery and Valkyrie.

Tanith watched them from a distance after the commotion had ceased and looked at the couple, all lovey-dovey and happy.

She was far too happy about this and immediately assumed that Valkyrie had accepted Skulduggery's proposal. Her preparations for the non-existent wedding began immediately.

**A/N:**

**FAAAAAAAARR**k **OOOOOOOOOUT! Long chapter.**

**THIS IS NOT THE END. ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT WITH WHAT ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.**

**Indeed this story turned out more... action themed than planned but hey at least I'm ending it. **


	7. Chapter 7

Valkyrie walked to Eris and stood by the woman's side. She was looking and the glass cell containing her tragic daughter who was sitting there on a white bed. The glass could probably fool any person not acquainted which magic but Valkyrie could see that wasn't so. This glass would be strong enough to hold Dismal inside even if she had magic still. Eris herself had worked on it to specify the barriers to contain a witch.

"You two are so similar" Valkyrie commented suddenly, Eris looked at her confused.

"What?"

"You and Skulduggery" Valkyrie said her voice soft and slightly lamentable.

Eris folded her arms and turned to face the young woman who had a small gentle smile on her face. 

"And why do you say that?"she asked.

"You both do the same things" she answered, "Never giving up on the ones you love, forgiving them and sticking by them"

Eris tilted her head and watched the expressions on this girl she hardly knew.

"And you would do the same for Skulduggery" Eris replied.

Valkyrie looked at her for more.

"It's time you forgive yourself. Skulduggery has forgiven you already and it wasn't like he had done nothing wrong either"

"But-" started Valkyrie thinking about that crumpled picture in the jacket pocket.

"No buts" Eris interrupted, "Things won't change if you don't move on. The past doesn't truly become the past until you let go of it. And if you still feel bad or guilty just make up for it and show how much you love him"

Valkyrie looked back at Dismal and then at Eris and smiled.

"Okay" she answered. Eris smiled back and put a hand on her shoulder.

"It was nice meeting you Miss. Cain. Drop by for some coffee any time

"The pleasure was all mine"

Valkyrie left the Sanctuary and rode back on her beloved motorcycle to Uncle Gordon's house. There she took a bath, combed her hair and ate still reflecting on the past few days.

Unlike most of their misadventures the world wasn't almost destroyed but it felt like so much more and been up at stake this time.

She lay back on the couch with a mug of hot cocoa and lay back.

She would take Eris' advice and try not to feel guilty but she wanted to do something Skulduggery. At this point she felt like she was ready to marry Skulduggery and live happily ever after, but she also wished that time would just stop and the world would end destroying all her troubles.

As she let herself wallow in a lake of self pity the door chimed.

Valkyrie sat up from her reclining position suddenly, almost spilling her cocoa on her fluffy pink dress robe.

_That's funny I didn't hear any car come_ she thought and headed to the window. Pulling back the dusty curtain she saw no chair in the drive way. Even more curious she went to open the door.

"Hi" Skulduggery spoke immediately as she opened the door.

"Hi" Valkyrie replied feeling her face burn up. Skulduggery hadn't seen this dress robe yet. And yes she might like black and leather but it was from her mom and God did she miss home now and then.

A few awkward moments passed by till Skulduggery couldn't bear it any longer.

"Can I come in?" he asked politely as if he was asking the mayor to enter the house not his girlfriend.

Valkyrie flustered quickly opened the door wider letting the skeleton inside. Skulduggery came in and took his hat off placing it on the usual hat stand next to the door.

Valkyrie was mad at herself for being so shy and awkward. It wasn't meant to be like this. She was a tough, badass, crime fighter, not a silly school girl.

_Maybe_ said a voice inside _It's just that Skulduggery is the only one who can make you feel like a school girl in love_.

Her face flushed even redder at the thought of this and she tried to escape Skulduggery's gaze.

"I was thinking "Skulduggery started his finger meshed together, "We could just hang out watch a movie together"

"Sure" Valkyrie answered a little too quickly. She immediately pulled herself away and to the lounge again where she searched through the cabinent.

"You have anything in mind?" she asked looking back at Skulduggery, who shook his head.

_Aw dammit. Shit. Dammit. What should I pick? A romantic comedy? Maybe that's a bit too obvious. He doesn't usually come her unannounced. He usually calls before turning up. Maybe something light and easy? A kids movie. No. Come on can you imagine Skulduggery watching a kids movie?_

"Ahem" Skulduggery cleared his non-existent throat and she turned around to find him very, _very_ close to her face.

With her back to the cabinet Skulduggery's face inched closer. Valkyrie closed her eyes. She felt an arm pass her waist.

_Oh God yes_ she thought.

"Maybe we could watch this?" Skulduggery proposed. Valkyrie opened her eyes to see his arm reaching behind her to the cabinet.

Embarrassed Valkyrie turned around and took the DVD without thinking, she didn't even look to see what it was before she put it in the player and set everything up. Before she knew it she was sitting on the couch with Skulduggery about to watch a movie she wasn't sure about.

She watched the distance apart from them uneasily. Normally if they watched a movie together they would be almost on top of each other even when she weren't dating they would be closer together than they were right now.

"Skulduggery what are we watching?" she asked look up from the gap to him. Skulduggery didn't reply but continued looking at the screen.

Then she realised what they were watching.

It was an old video. A very old, video. Well it seemed like it but it wasn't really. It was her year twelve prom which she had asked Skulduggery to. It wasn't because she loved Skulduggery back then, it was more to do with the fact that she had chucked her boyfriend out of a seven story building when he had ended up being a traitor a few days before. Who else would have a suit at ready in two days time.

She remembered China had helped him make a face for that night which she had added input in. Their plan to make her to girl everyone was jealous of on the night. Skulduggery had acted his part for most of the evening and even smiled for all the pictures.

And there they were on the television, slow dancing, or trying to. She saw her own face smile and laugh why the shaky hand held camera recorded. After a moment she realised who was holding the camera when a finger came on to the screen and drew a love heart around the two of them.

Valkyrie smiled, she'd have to thank Tanith later.

She looked at Skulduggery watching silently at the on screen memories,

Suddenly she didn't feel shy anymore.

She pulled him close, instinctively he wrapped his arms around her. She gripped back tightly. He buried his head into her neck as she gently kissed his forehead.

She felt him nip the skin on her neck with his teeth gently, conveying his affection in any way he could. Swirling bone fingertips circling the small of her back danced on her nerves making her tremor with agreement. Holding him in her arms, familiarising herself with every nook and cranny possibly available to her meddling.

The moment he reached under her pink fluffy robe she thought she would die of being intoxicated with him-

-until he stopped.

"What's wrong?" she asked her breath slightly fast.

"You're not wearing any clothes underneath your robe" he answered.

"And?"

Skulduggery looked at her for a moment and it took her a moment to realise he was slightly embarrassed.

"Well, I didn't expect to reach this point so soon. May we continue elsewhere?" he asked faking a gentlemanly tone to keep his smart witty facade.

Valkyrie smiled at the fact that he had actually thought what this moment would be liked and agreed. Before she could stand to her feet he picked her up bridal style from the sofa moving them away leaving the television still playing the sound of a slow dance.

She started to protest feeling embarrassed of being lifted up but he protested in return.

"I want to do this properly" he whispered with his teeth against her ears.

Valkyrie gripped on gently.

He carried her up the stairs and into her room. Her bed was unmade and there was underwear on the floor which she had forgotten to pick up but that was okay. Nothing could ruin this moment for them.

He lay her down on the bed and they continued their previous enterprise.

Valkyrie trembled in the moments where his bare skin laid rest on her own. The feeling of being this close to this person she loved so much.

The spoilt feeling when he took off her clothes and the hungered passion when she stripped him of his own.

Hearing her own moans mixed in with his.

And the feeling of him _inside _of her.

In her soul and mind unescapable.

Then her whole world climaxing into one point. The coils in her body tightening and unleashing into ecstasy

She clung on to him panting.

He held her and let her lie back on the covers, then taking a spot next to her resting himself.

Valkyrie closed her eyes still trying to gather herself.

When she opened them there was something in front of her eyes.

"Will you mar-"

He didn't have time to say anything else, before she was on him again.

She had finally seduced her Mr. Pleasant.

**A/N: And its over.**

**I had them talking afterwards to tie in the threads originally but I thought it was to anticlimax so I cut it off.**

**Plus if the extra threads (e.g. Skulduggery materialising in the witch battlefield) annoy me I can always write a bonus one shot.**

**I didn't make the scene that racy because I want this story to be rated T. Sorry if your disappointed but even lowering it down to this level it was hard to write (skeletons are hard to make scenes about if you know what I mean)**

**Anyway, thank you for reading this. I might make more Skulduggery Pleasant stories or not. But if you like make words put me on author alert. **


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